Punjab Congress crisis deepens: Bhupesh Baghel rejects demand to project Channi as Punjab Congress CM face
PTC Web Desk: The internal differences in the Punjab Congress have deepened after the party's Punjab in-charge, Bhupesh Baghel, rejected the demand to project former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the party's chief ministerial face.
Soon after returning from his Punjab visit, Baghel made his stand clear through a post on social media platform X. He said that the Congress has only one face in Punjab, and that is Rahul Gandhi. His statement comes in response to recent demands from a section of party leaders who wanted Channi to be declared the party's CM candidate for the next Assembly elections.
Baghel's remarks have come as a setback for the group of leaders supporting Channi. Earlier, he had also dismissed calls for replacing Punjab Congress president Raja Warring, making it clear that the current leadership continues to have the party's support.
पंजाब की जनता के मन में कोई भी किंतु और परंतु नहीं है.
पंजाब का मतदाता लोकसभा चुनाव की तरह ही विधानसभा चुनाव में श्री राहुल गांधी जी पर भरोसा कर रहा है.
कांग्रेस पार्टी का पंजाब में एक ही चेहरा है, वो हैं श्री राहुल गांधी जी. @INCPunjab @DailyGuardian1 @DVVIJAY12 pic.twitter.com/PjmiwjMA7V — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) July 13, 2026
After Baghel's response, the rebel group is now preparing to take its concerns directly to the Congress high command. According to party sources, the leaders are waiting for Rahul Gandhi to return from his overseas visit. He is expected to be back on July 17.
The group believes Rahul Gandhi should hear their concerns before Baghel submits his report on the political situation in Punjab. They want to explain what they describe as growing dissatisfaction among party workers and senior leaders over the present leadership in the state.
Notably, the Congress leadership had sent Bhupesh Baghel on a six-day visit to Punjab to understand the situation within the state unit and help reduce internal differences. However, leaders from the Channi camp have claimed that the visit was one-sided. They allege that Baghel mainly interacted with leaders close to Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring and did not give equal attention to their views.
Punjab Congress has witnessed internal factionalism for several years. In 2021, a similar political struggle within the party led to the replacement of then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Although Navjot Singh Sidhu had led the campaign against Amarinder Singh, the Congress high command appointed Charanjit Singh Channi as the new Chief Minister instead. Now, the party once again finds itself dealing with internal disagreements.
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- PTC NEWS
