TARN TARAN, OCTOBER 11 — The Congress will formally kick off its campaign for the November 11 Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll on Saturday, aiming to project a united front amid months of internal squabbling in the state unit. Party leaders said the canvassing will begin after paying obeisance at various religious sites in the constituency.
The party has fielded Karanbir Singh Burj, a close aide of Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and someone reportedly supported by Majha leaders. The candidate’s selection comes after the Congress lost the Ludhiana (West) bypoll to the AAP, sparking calls for a leadership overhaul in Punjab. Political analysts see the Tarn Taran bypoll as a litmus test for Congress ahead of the 2027 state elections.
“Congress will bank on its secular credentials to retain Tarn Taran, a seat considered a Panthic stronghold,” Bajwa said.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which had previously wielded influence in the segment, of fostering gangster culture. “We are the only party with secular credentials and giving a new face for the bypolls,” he noted. Congress plans to focus on issues including gangster-related violence, like the 2023 Goindwal jail incident where two gangsters were killed, and drug-related deaths in the region.
The bypoll is shaping up as a multi-cornered contest. While the BJP has fielded Harjit Singh Sandhu, SAD has chosen Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, and the ruling AAP has reposed faith in Harmeet Singh Sandhu. Pro-Khalistan sympathiser and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh-led Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) has nominated Mandeep Singh, brother of a murder case accused. The SAD candidate is the wife of a “Dharmi Fauji” (Sikh soldiers who deserted the Army after Operation Blue Star in 1984) and had supported Amritpal Singh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress insiders believe Panthic votes may split between Randhawa and Mandeep Singh, leaving the main contest between AAP and Congress.
Separately, the Congress is running a signature campaign in Punjab under the nationwide “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor” movement against alleged electoral malpractices. So far, it has collected 8 lakh signatures, with the target set at 15 lakh by October 15, said Warring.
“This campaign reflects the public’s support for fair elections, and we aim to reach our goal before the bypoll,” he added, emphasizing the party’s focus on grassroots mobilisation.
The bypoll will test the Congress’ ability to consolidate its base while navigating factional divisions and a fragmented opposition.
