Raja Warring steps down as Punjab Congress chief, Vijay Inder Singla frontrunner for top post

PTC News Desk:  Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has resigned as Punjab Congress president with Vijay Inder Singla's name emerging as the frontrunner for the post. Raja's exit comes at a time when Congress is trying to put its Punjab unit in order just six months ahead of the assembly elections. Jalandhar Cantonment MLA and former hockey captain Pargat Singh, and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa were also in the race to replace him.

Factionalism within the Punjab Congress had been growing steadily. Warring was seen as the face of one faction, while another group rallied behind Charanjit Singh Channi, who served as chief minister for a short period after Captain Amarinder Singh was removed from the post ahead of the party's defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections.

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Channi had briefly served as chief minister after the Congress removed Captain Amarinder Singh ahead of the party’s defeat in the 2022 elections. At that time, the party was facing internal tensions linked to Navjot Singh Sidhu. Although Sidhu is no longer with the Congress, similar differences appeared to resurface, particularly after the party decided to retain Warring in July. The party’s then Punjab in-charge, Bhupesh Baghel, was also seen by some leaders as favouring Warring.

Warring took charge of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in April 2022, shortly after Congress' Punjab unit had faced a drubbing from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). 

As both groups continued to show their strength, first in Punjab and later at the national level, the Congress leadership began making changes in September. Bhupesh Baghel was replaced in the first week of September, while Raja Warring resigned at the end of the month.

Sachin Pilot appointed party 's in-charge in Punjab

On September 5, the Congress high command appointed Sachin Pilot as the party’s Punjab in-charge, replacing former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who had held the position since early 2025. Pilot, a former Rajasthan deputy chief minister and Congress general secretary, had been handling Chhattisgarh since December 2023.

Seen as a younger leader close to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Pilot’s first major task was to attend a protest rally where different factions of the Punjab Congress appeared together.

However, the disagreement over Raja Warring’s leadership continued. On July 1, the Congress had announced that Warring would remain Punjab Congress president, while Charanjit Singh Channi would head the campaign committee.

The arrangement did not satisfy Channi or Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa.

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, a Jat Sikh leader like Warring, was seen supporting Channi, who belongs to the Dalit community.

Vijay Inder Singla, a prominent Hindu leader from the Bania community who was made head of the election management committee, was also reportedly unhappy with the decision. His name had been among the leading contenders for the state Congress chief in June and July, before the party decided to retain Warring.

Pargat Singh, another Jat Sikh leader, was viewed as relatively neutral in the factional dispute.

When Pilot arrived in Chandigarh, leaders from different groups welcomed him. Channi thanked the Congress high command for the appointment, while Warring also welcomed Pilot and expressed gratitude to Baghel for his guidance.

Punjab is scheduled to hold its Assembly elections in early 2027. The Congress will face the ruling AAP government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. A possible alliance between the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is also being discussed, while jailed MP Amritpal Singh’s Waris Punjab De is expected to contest the elections.

As part of the Congress campaign, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to travel across Punjab on a bus tour.