Cong names Channi to head Punjab poll campaign, retains Warring as state chief

The Congress on Wednesday appointed former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi as chairman of its Campaign Committee for the 2027 Assembly elections in the state, while retaining Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief and Pratap Singh Bajwa as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

The appointments, announced by AICC general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, put to rest speculation over a possible change in the party's leadership in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections due early next year.

The party also named former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa as chairman of the Core Committee, former minister Vijay Inder Singla as chairman of the Election Management and Coordination Committee, and MP Amar Singh as chairman of the Manifesto Committee.

"Congress president has appointed chairpersons of election-related committees for the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab, with immediate effect," Venugopal said in a statement.

He added that Raja Warring and Bajwa would continue as the state Congress president and CLP leader, respectively.

The Congress also appointed Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Raj Kumar Verka and Sangat Singh Gilzian as working presidents of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Rana Gurjeet Singh and Dharamvira Gandhi have been named co-chairpersons of the Campaign Committee.

The co-chairpersons of the Election Management and Coordination Committee are O.P. Soni, Razia Sultana, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Angad Singh Saini and Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

The party also appointed Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Pargat Singh, Hardial Singh Kamboj and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria as co-chairpersons of the Manifesto Committee.

The organisational revamp comes as the Congress steps up preparations for the Punjab Assembly elections, with the party aiming to regain power in the state after losing the 2022 polls.