The Congress party in Punjab is facing serious internal strife following its defeat in the Ludhiana West bypoll, where its candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu lost to AAP’s Sanjeev Arora by 10,637 votes. Soon after the result, Ashu resigned from his post as Working President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), citing moral responsibility for the loss.
However, Ashu’s resignation has exposed deeper cracks within the state unit. He had earlier requested the party high command to keep PPCC Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa away from his campaign, highlighting sharp divisions among senior leaders.
A senior party insider revealed that Ashu’s campaign was run mainly by a pressure group led by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, MLAs Rana Gurjeet Singh and Pargat Singh, and former MLA Khushaldeep Singh Dhillon. This group sidelined the official party leadership, worsening factional tensions.
Now, more resignations from the PPCC are expected from leaders aligned with this pressure group. The Congress high command and AICC General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel are planning to hold an urgent meeting with Punjab leaders, acknowledging that internal fighting may have cost the party the election.
While Warring’s camp argues that the defeat has hurt the egos of the rival group challenging his leadership, Ashu’s supporters blame the top leadership for sabotaging the campaign. The public exchange of blame has further weakened party unity.
In response, Warring avoided commenting directly on the internal rift but praised local party workers. “This was just a by-election. We stood up against the entire government machinery. Our focus is now on 2027, and we will introspect seriously,” he said.
The Ludhiana loss has not only dealt a blow to Congress’s electoral standing but also threatens to deepen a vertical split within the party, raising concerns ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Be the first to comment