Tensions within the Punjab Congress flared up on Tuesday, just a day after the party’s defeat in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll, as two senior leaders — Pargat Singh and Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon — resigned from their posts as state unit vice-presidents.
Both leaders sent their resignation letters to AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, calling for a “collective introspection” over the bypoll loss and stressing the need to restructure the state leadership. Neither leader responded to media calls for further comment.
The resignations come closely after Bharat Bhushan Ashu, the party’s candidate in Ludhiana West, also stepped down as working president of the Punjab Congress, taking moral responsibility for the defeat. However, sources say Ashu’s resignation and the fresh exits are more than symbolic — they highlight growing factionalism in the party.
Ashu had reportedly asked the party high command not to involve state president Raja Warring or Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in his campaign, due to ongoing differences. As a result, both leaders mostly stayed away from campaigning until the final days.
The main campaign was instead led by a separate group of senior leaders, including former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Pargat Singh, and other MLAs. Notably, Rana Gurjeet has earlier criticized Warring as a “selfish leader” and has shown interest in taking over as state president himself.
Commenting on the resignations, Raja Warring said, “I have not received any resignations. It’s for the party high command to respond.”
Meanwhile, the Congress high command has yet to make any public statement, but the latest developments suggest a serious rift within the Punjab unit, with a power struggle and internal blame game now unfolding in the open.
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