Channi’s Morinda meeting shows growing unease in Punjab Congress, High Command given one week to respond
PTC Web Desk: A major political gathering at former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's residence in Morinda on Friday has brought the Congress' internal differences into the open, with several senior leaders expressing concern over the party's recent organisational appointments ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The meeting, which continued for several hours, was attended by nearly 24 sitting and former Congress MLAs, four former ministers, district leaders and hundreds of party workers. The gathering came days after the Congress high command decided to retain Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), a move that had disappointed a section of the party leadership that was expecting Channi to be given the responsibility.
Following detailed discussions, the leaders decided to constitute a committee that will represent the concerns of Punjab Congress workers before the party's central leadership. They also authorised Channi to take future decisions on behalf of the group, while giving the Congress high command one week to address their concerns.
Among those present were former ministers Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and OP Soni. Several former legislators, including Mohammad Sadique, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Tarsem Singh Attari and Harminder Singh Gill, also attended the meeting. Balkaur Singh, father of late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, was also present. However, senior Congress leaders Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and former Assembly Speaker KP Rana were not part of the gathering.
Former Punjab Youth Congress president Barinder Singh Dhillon said the newly formed committee would place the concerns of party workers before the high command. According to him, many workers felt that their views had not been adequately reflected in the recent organisational decisions, and the committee would seek to ensure those concerns were heard.
Senior Congress leader Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa clarified that the meeting should not be viewed as a confrontation with the party leadership.
Channi chose not to address the media after the meeting, but his decision to remain silent has added to political speculation over the direction the party could take in the coming days.
- With inputs from agencies
