Punjab Congress: Why warring Channi-Raja leadership battle matters

Supporters of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi say the appointment of Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister as PPCC chief will help Congress consolidate Scheduled Caste voters while signaling greater social inclusion, while Punjab chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, a Jat Sikh leader, represents a politically influential constitution that Congress cannot afford. File | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections less than a year away, the Congress finds itself in yet another leadership tussle. Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s supporters have openly demanded that he replace Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, exposing factional fault lines within the state unit.

The latest round of disagreements kicked off the organizational overhaul of the All India Congress Committee on 1 July. While Mr Warring was retained as PPCC chief, Mr Channi was appointed chairman of the State Election Campaign Committee. The formula was intended to balance the competing factions, but instead fueled new discontent.

Published – 14 Jul 2026 09:10 IST