Chandigarh, Nov 15, 2025: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday dismissed speculation of a divide within the state leadership, calling it an old “election-time narrative”. In a statement issued in Chandigarh, he said the party fought the Tarn Taran bypoll together and the unity was visible on the ground.
Warring’s remarks came a day after the Congress faced a major defeat in Tarn Taran, where its candidate lost his security deposit while AAP’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu won comfortably. He said the party entered the contest “against all odds”, noting that Tarn Taran has historically been a panthic seat and the Congress has rarely won it.
He alleged that the party also faced a “hostile” administration and police “openly siding with the ruling party candidate”. “Despite that, our workers put up a brave fight under a united leadership. Name one leader who did not campaign,” he said.
Warring stressed that the result should not be read as a referendum on the Congress or the government, accusing the AAP of “misusing official machinery” in by-elections. He said the party will examine the reasons behind the defeat, along with the broader political situation across Punjab, as it prepares for the 2027 Assembly elections.
Calling reports of infighting routine ahead of every election since 1997, Warring said Congress leaders “set aside personal differences, if any, during campaigns”. He urged people not to judge the party on bypoll results and pointed to the 2024 Lok Sabha outcome, where Congress won seven of 13 seats. “We will significantly improve our performance in 2027,” he said.
