As Punjab voters evolve, Congress remains trapped in factional ambition, caste fault lines, and indiscipline—once again undermining its own revival
THE CONGRESS PARTY has never needed external rivals to weaken it. Punjab Congress today once again proves that internal ambition is its most dangerous enemy. There was a visible phase when people in Punjab appeared willing to reconsider the party.
But the moment Congress leaders sensed this opening, restraint vanished. Dreams of the Chief Minister’s chair surfaced far too early, and instead of rebuilding the organisation, leaders began firing covert political arrows at one another.
Punjab Congress rally
Statements were issued not to strengthen the party but to undermine rivals within it. Factions quietly activated their networks. The party began bleeding—not because it was attacked, but because it was stabbed from within.
The Congress high command responded with routine damage control, but these are not superficial wounds. They are deep, self-inflicted injuries that require discipline, not cosmetic treatment. Yet discipline remains the one remedy Congress consistently avoids in Punjab.
Factional Lords, Central Patronage, and a Changed Punjab
Factionalism in Punjab Congress is not accidental—it is habitual. Senior leaders operate like independent power centres, each commanding personal loyalists and treating party discipline as optional.
Factionalism in Punjab Congress is not accidental—it is habitual
Organisational platforms are ignored, internal debates are leaked to the media, and public statements are issued without accountability. This culture has flourished for decades because the central leadership encouraged personality-based patronage over institutional authority.
As long as loyalty travelled upward to power brokers in Delhi, internal damage at the state level was tolerated. But Punjab has changed. Earlier generations voted on legacy and emotional loyalty to Congress’s role in the freedom movement.
Today’s Punjabi voter is politically aware, governance-focused, and unforgiving of arrogance. Old tricks no longer work. Punjabis do not hesitate to change governments—and they have done so repeatedly. Congress, however, continues to behave as if time has stood still.
2022 Defeat Ignored, Old Mistakes Repeated
The 2022 Punjab Assembly elections should have been a lesson written in bold letters.
Navjot Singh Sidhu with Priyanka Gandhi
Congress lost not because of ideology, but because its leaders were busy pulling each other down—openly and shamelessly, even in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi.
The verdict was decisive, resulting in the Aam Aadmi Party forming the government.
Instead of introspection, denial followed. Many leaders found it difficult to accept life outside power.
Political relevance began to depend on controversy rather than constructive opposition. Reckless statements became routine. Internal disagreements were deliberately converted into public spectacles.
The irony is that while leaders remain largely insulated, party workers pay the real price—demoralised and watching yet another political opportunity slip away.
Despite nearly a year still remaining before the next Assembly elections, Congress leaders have once again begun positioning themselves as Chief Ministerial contenders.
The Channi Statement, Caste Fault Lines, and Public Exposure
The internal crisis exploded after a Chandigarh meeting of Punjab Congress Dalit leaders convened by Rajinder Pal Gautam, attended by Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
At the meeting, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made a blunt statement: despite Scheduled Castes forming nearly 32 percent of Punjab’s population, they hold none of the party’s top state positions—the party president, the leader of opposition, or the women’s wing president.
The statement was made openly, applauded by Dalit leaders present, and followed by Channi walking out. A few leaders privately expressed discomfort, but the damage was already done.
As is typical of Congress culture, the meeting details were leaked to the media, followed days later by a video of the speech. Chaos erupted, particularly in Delhi.
Charanjit Singh Channi amid party supporters
Upper-caste leaders launched verbal attacks, Channi’s supporters countered, and two clear factions emerged publicly. Channi later claimed misrepresentation, but the attacks continued.
What may have been intended as mobilisation turned into political self-sabotage. The Congress image in Punjab has taken yet another blow.
The question now is not who is right or wrong, but whether the Congress high command has the authority and courage to impose discipline, curb factional arrogance, and recognise that Punjab’s political reality has fundamentally changed.
Until then, Punjab Congress will continue to do what it has perfected—defeating itself. 
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Ujagar Singh
The author is a former Public Relations Officer of the Punjab government and has been closely associated with the top leadership of the Punjab Congress.
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