Congress appoints Pargat Singh as new Punjab chief, Warring resigns

Pargat Singh, appointed as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). Photo credit: X/@PargatSOfficial

Ending months of uncertainty over the position of Punjab Congress Committee chief, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Friday (October 2, 2026) appointed Congress MLA Pargat Singh as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).

Mr Singh, a former minister and captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, was given the new responsibility after Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring formally tendered his resignation as PPCC chief to former party president Rahul Gandhi.

Mr. Singh’s appointment is seen as a move to curb ongoing power struggles in the Congress’ Punjab unit. The turf war, particularly between former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Mr Warring, has been on public display for the past few months. To deal with this internal turmoil, the party’s central leadership last month replaced Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot as the party’s Punjab in-charge, and now replacing Mr Warring with Mr Singh is also seen as an attempt to placate disgruntled leaders ahead of the crucial 2027 parliamentary polls.

A non-controversial picture

Party sources said Mr Singh’s appointment was largely motivated by his clean, non-controversial image, which made him an acceptable choice across factions. By choosing him, the party seems to have struck a balance and hoped to bridge the gap between the two hostile camps.

Mr Warring, who has been state president since April 22, 2022, told reporters in New Delhi: “I met Rahul Gandhi and formally tendered my resignation.”

Asserting that he was ready to serve the party wherever needed, he said that Mr. Gandhi had asked him about the present political situation in Punjab and the future course of the party there. “I explained to him both the challenges Congress faces in Punjab and its strengths,” Mr Warring said.

Published – 02 Oct 2026 16:22 IST