Punjab Cong rift widens despite Baghel's mediation: Channi camp's ‘compromising’ jibe draws sharp response from Warring

THe Punjab Congress's leaders rift sharpened on sat after senior company leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, speech production to reporters after a get together between AICC Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel and leaders close to former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, said the party needed “a leader who speaks forcefully” and “not a compromising leader”.Channi, seen as the camp leader who wants to be CM face, was standing next to Randhawa, nodding but not speaking. State unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring — whose retention in the post by the national leadership is the immediate trigger for the rift — responded sharply. “Who is compromised? Has he taken any names? If not, why are you people pointing it at me? Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is absolutely right: If anyone is compromised, they cannot stay with us,” Warring said.“We do not need any sleeper cell or compromised leader in our party,” Warring further told PTI.He said several leaders had faced accusations of meeting BJP leaders and the “jhaadu party”, a reference to Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party and its symbol of a broom. “Whatever issues exist between me and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, we will sort them out soon,” he added. Randhawa indeed did not name Warring directly. He said discussions at the meeting had focused on strengthening the party and addressing grassroots workers' concerns about reviving Congress in Punjab, and that “it was also mentioned that sometimes decisions in the party have to be taken back”.Baghel, asked about the remark, said he agreed with the sentiment in principle. “Yes, I agree that any leader who is compromised will not work. If any leader will be compromised by BJP, it will not work. It is my responsibility that I won't let it happen,” he said.Baghel: Meeting informal, no CM face decidedThe exchange followed an 80-minute meeting Baghel held on Saturday with Channi and leaders close to him, including Randhawa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, at senior Congress leader Rana Gurjit Singh's Chandigarh residence. Warring did not attend.Baghel told PTI the sit-down was not a formal party meeting. “Rana Gurjit called me, so I went to meet him... When you stay like family, there are many talks that happen, which is not disclosed publicly,” he said.He also dismissed speculation that Channi could be projected as the party's chief ministerial face for the 2027 polls. “This is false. There is no such talk happened. We only want Congress to form government,” he said.Channi was made CM briefly before the 2022 polls, which the party lost, as Capt Amarinder Singh was removed in an intra-party coup at the time too.Partap Singh Bajwa described the meeting as the “culmination” of a long-standing demand among party workers. “Baghel ji listened to everyone patiently for over two hours and assured us that he will convey everything word-for-word to the high command. He also promised that any misgivings or outstanding issues will be resolved,” he told PTI, not sharing details.Rift out in the openThe rift traces back in the immediate to July 1, when the Congress high command retained Warring as Punjab unit president and appointed Channi chairperson of the campaign committee.Channi, reportedly miffed at not being named state president, skipped a series of meetings Baghel held with party leaders and office-bearers after arriving in Punjab on July 6 for a five-day visit, as did several leaders close to him.Baghel repeatedly ruled out any change in leadership through the week. “Once the high command takes a decision, it does not change. Koi gudda-guddi ka khel hai kya, ki baar-baar nirnay badla jayega? (Is it come child's play that we would keep changing things),” he said on July 9.Baghel had also defended Warring's retention, citing his organisational work and the party's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when Congress won seven of Punjab's 13 seats.Channi, for his part, has maintained that he is not against the party and continues to say Rahul Gandhi remains his leader, while stopping short of commenting on the rebellion by leaders backing him.Punjab is due to go to the assembly polls in early 2027, with the AAP, which won by a landslide to unseat the Congress in 2022, hoping to gain from the rift in the main opposition party.