Punjab Congress chief reaffirms unity in party ranks amid rift over Congress' leadership decisions

Chandigarh: Amid a rift within the Punjab Congress, the party's state chief Amarinder Raja Warring has reaffirmed full unity within the party ranks on Tuesday, saying that it is normal for a few leaders to not be able to attend the PPCC meet, seeing how some of them already had planned engagements.

"Someone says that three-four zilla presidents did not come, they are gone for Amarnath Yatra, you can call them and ask them. The way this meeting has happened, atleast one or two people would not be able to attend. People are asking for masala, but I can't give masala as there isn't anything to say," Warring told reporters after the meeting.

"All the leaders will address the media together, in a show of unity, will be there on one stage, all the leaders of Punjab Congress," Warring added.


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Warring's comments come right Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress MP and former Punjab CM, decided to skip the meet, and is set to reach Delhi with a group of loyalists to raise objections to the leadership choices of the Congress high command for its state unit.

"We held a meeting with the leaders, and we discussed the future course of action. Many senior leaders and former ministers also came to meet Bhupesh Baghel ji; there have been continuous interactions. Discussions are underway regarding future strategies," Warring said.

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Apart from Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also skipped the meet. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Raja Warring tried to play down the absence claiming that both Channi and Randhawa had informed the PPCC meeting's chairman that they are out of town and will be available after a couple of days.

Congress had retained Warring as its State unit chief and Partap Singh Bajwa as Leader of the Opposition (Congress Legislative Party) in the Punjab Legislative Party.

When asked whether some people are deliberately missing the meeting due to discontent, Warring clarified that "those who were called came to the meeting" already, with two leaders being present, while two other leaders Randhawa and Channi) had already informed of their absence beforehand.

All India Congres Committee (AICC)'s General Secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, on Monday arrived in Chandigarh to hold key discussions with party leaders in the State, which is heading into Assembly elections next year.