Channi supporters disrupt Warring speech, expose Punjab Congress rift

The sharp differences within the party cadres spilt into the open at the ‘Har Booth Congress Mazboot’ event, which was projected as one in a series of weeklong events to launch the Congress’s 2027 election mission. Baghel is on a 10-day visit to Punjab and is holding meetings in various cities to launch the poll campaign.

‘Important not to lose cool’

Warring sought to maintain calm as the event continued and requested everyone who loved Congress to sit down even as the shouting continued. In his speech, Warring said that in the coming says all leaders of the party will be seen on one platform. “I will make efforts in coming days to ensure that everyone is on the same stage…It is also important not to lose cool in the enthusiasm,” he said.

Warring appealed to the cadres to maintain amity among themselves too. He repeated his past statement that all senior leaders, be it Partap Singh Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi or Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, were better than him.

The episode highlights ongoing factional tensions within the Punjab Congress unit ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. These stem from the high command’s July decision to retain Warring as state president while appointing Channi as chairman of the campaign committee. Channi’s camp has held meetings expressing dissatisfaction, with some leaders and workers pushing for a larger leadership role for the former CM, amid claims of broader support among cadres.

Channi and allies such as Randhawa have stayed away from certain programmes led by Warring or Baghel. The incident in Patiala has fuelled further discussion about internal differences, even as party leaders have previously sought to project unity under the high command.