Punjab Congress faces fresh crisis: Channi flexes muscle, Randhawas Delhi visit sparks BJP buzz

Punjab Assembly elections 2027: Barely a couple of months before Punjab heads to the Assembly polls, the Congress appears to be fighting a battle within rather than preparing to take on its political rivals. The party's decision to continue Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Congress president has exposed deep cracks in the state unit, with senior leaders no longer hiding their dissatisfaction.

What was expected to be a routine organisational reshuffle has instead snowballed into a test of the Congress high command's authority.

The strongest signal has come from former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Instead of quietly accepting his appointment as chairman of the party's campaign committee, Channi has chosen to demonstrate his political strength by convening an emergency meeting of his loyalists at his residence in Morinda.

The gathering is not merely a courtesy meeting. With sitting MPs, MLAs, former legislators and influential party leaders in attendance, it carries the unmistakable message that Channi believes he commands a support base substantial enough to challenge the party's leadership decisions.

Leaders close to Channi have openly argued that sidelining him from the state presidency could damage the Congress' electoral prospects, suggesting that his leadership is essential if the party hopes to return to power.

At the same time, another development has added to the unease within the Congress. Senior leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who was made chairman of the party's core committee instead of being entrusted with the state leadership, reportedly travelled to Delhi and is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Whether the meeting carries political significance or is being overinterpreted remains uncertain. However, in the current political climate, such developments inevitably fuel speculation about growing discontent and possible realignments.

The larger issue for the Congress is not individual ambition; it is the recurring inability to manage competing centres of power.

For years, the party has struggled with factional politics in Punjab. Leadership disputes have repeatedly overshadowed organisational work, allowing rivals to capitalise on Congress' internal divisions. Instead of presenting a united alternative to the ruling establishment, the party once again finds itself consumed by questions over who should lead rather than how it intends to govern.

Retaining Raja Warring may have provided continuity, but it has also revived unresolved rivalries. If influential leaders feel overlooked despite their political standing, symbolic appointments may not be enough to contain resentment.

The optics are particularly damaging. Public displays of dissatisfaction, emergency strategy meetings and reports of senior leaders exploring conversations outside the party all weaken the Congress' claim of being ready for the 2027 electoral contest.

Political parties rarely suffer because disagreements exist; they suffer when disagreements become public demonstrations of competing authority. That appears to be the stage the Punjab Congress is entering.

The coming weeks will determine whether the high command can restore discipline and rebuild consensus or whether the current unrest develops into a wider organisational crisis.

For now, the Congress' biggest political challenge in Punjab does not appear to be defeating its opponents; it is convincing its own leaders that they remain part of the same team.