Chandigarh, 16 February 2025: The Congress party has appointed former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as the in-charge of Punjab Congress, making him the third senior leader after Shakeel Ahmed and Harish Rawat to hold the position.
The appointment comes at a time when several senior leaders in Punjab are vying for the post of state Congress president.
A junior leader in charge could have led to coordination issues within the party.
Sources indicate that elections will soon be held for key party posts, including Congress President, Working President, and General Secretary.
Among the frontrunners for the state president’s position are Charanjit Channi, Pratap Bajwa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Rana Gurjit, and Pargat Singh, while Navjot Singh Sidhu is reportedly out of the race.
Current Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, a young leader, led the party to a strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
He resigned as an MLA to contest from Ludhiana, defeating BJP’s Ravneet Bittu. However, he failed to secure his wife’s seat in the subsequent assembly by-election.
The party also performed well in municipal polls, securing a majority in Amritsar and Phagwara, though it could not secure mayoral positions due to government pressure.
With assembly elections approaching, Congress may play the Dalit card in its leadership selection. The final list of appointments is expected soon.
