PYC polls: Lalli’s elevation a shot in the arm for Capt

Lalli, a political greenhorn, made his first foray into politics while running the campaign for former union minister and Sonia Gandhi confidante, Ambika Soni.

THE ELECTION of Amarpreet Singh Lalli as Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) president has come as a shot in the arm for the Deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Capt Amarinder Singh, who has been drawing flak for not attending the ongoing session of Parliament.

Lalli, a political greenhorn, made his first foray into politics while running the campaign for former union minister and Sonia Gandhi confidante, Ambika Soni, who unsuccessfully contested the recent Lok Sabha elections from Anandpur Sahib. He had been brought to the Youth Congress by former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla, a protege of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Amarinder had asked his team to ensure that Lalli emerged victorious and sources said that Ambika Soni had also asked Amarinder to help her aide win.

Lalli defeated his nearest rival, Kulbir Singh Zira, son of the president of the party’s Punjab Kisan Cell, Inderjit Singh Zira, a close aide of PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa, by an impressive 1,522 votes. Lalli polled 4447 while Zira was placed on second slot by securing 2825 votes.

“Lalli’s victory over Zira has once again proved that Amarinder’s writ runs in the Punjab Congress,” said a Congress leader close to Amarinder. “It was not an easy task. Lalli had no support virtually. But in last three weeks, Amarinder’s team worked by making groups to contact the delegates personally. That helped a great deal,” he added.

The Bajwa camp, on the other hand, blamed their failure to grab the top post on three of their candidates vying for it. Apart from Zira, Deepinder Randhawa and Khushbaaz Singh Jatana of the Bajwa camp also ran for the president post. Nobody worked to get the two weaker candidates to withdraw. Bajwa’s camp argues that the the votes polled by the three put together, is more than what Lalli managed.

Nephew is Bajwa’s saving grace

Saving the day for the Bajwas was the nephew of state Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa and the son of Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa, Kanwar Pratap Singh, who was elected as the PYC general secretary. Pratap, the youngest candidate, won by the highest margin.

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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Punjab Youth Congress