Pro-Channi Slogans Disrupt Punjab Congress Events in Three Cities

Internal divisions within the Punjab Congress escalated between August 1 and August 2, 2026, as supporters of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi disrupted multiple 'Har Booth, Congress Mazboot' campaign events. In Patiala, Sangrur, and Barnala, party workers raised slogans such as “Channi Liyao, Punjab Bachao,” demanding Channi's appointment as state head and voicing opposition to AICC General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel.

The unrest stems from a July 1 decision by the party high command to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as state president while appointing Channi as the campaign committee chairperson. The disruptions frequently targeted Warring during his addresses, leading him to call for organizational discipline. Bhupesh Baghel, who submitted a report recommending Warring's retention based on support from district presidents and MPs, warned that those responsible for the indiscipline would be identified and expelled.

While Channi publicly urged party members to remain united for the 2027 Assembly elections, reports indicate he and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa have skipped several recent campaign functions. Other leaders, including Razia Sultana and Kuldip Singh Kala Dhillon, criticized those attempting to vitiate the party atmosphere. Baghel clarified that the Congress high command, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, will ultimately select the chief minister and ministers if the party wins the mandate.