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Pargat Singh appointed Punjab Congress chief after Warring's exit, takes charge ahead of 2027 Assembly polls
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who had headed the state unit since April 2022, met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and submitted his resignation.
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The Congress on Friday appointed former Olympian and Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), replacing Amrinder Singh Raja Warring months ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
The appointment came hours after Warring met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and submitted his resignation as state Congress chief. Warring had headed the state unit since April 2022 amid differences among senior leaders.
Congress’s Punjab affairs in-charge Sachin Pilot had held consultations with state leaders after taking charge and submitted his report to the party high command. The leadership change comes amid prolonged factional differences in the Punjab unit and preparations for the assembly elections.
Pargat, 61, is a three-time MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment. He first won the seat in 2012 on a Shiromani Akali Dal ticket and retained it in 2017 and 2022 after joining the Congress in 2016. He served as cabinet minister in the Charanjit Singh Channi government from September 2021 to March 2022.
Also Read | Warring steps down as Punjab Cong chief, suspense over his successor
Before entering politics, Pargat had a long international hockey career and captained the Indian team at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1989 and Padma Shri in 1998. Within the Congress, he has held organisational responsibilities and was appointed general secretary (organisation) of the state unit by then PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu in 2021.
His appointment comes as the party seeks to strengthen its organisation ahead of the 2027 polls and manage differences among senior leaders. Pargat is a prominent Jat Sikh leader and has not been publicly identified with any of the major factions in the state unit. Pargat has consistently attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state, both inside and outside the assembly.
AICC general secretary and Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot congratulated Pargat on his appointment and said he hoped the party would perform well in the assembly elections. “I hope that under your leadership, the party will perform exceptionally well in the forthcoming Assembly elections. You will work with complete commitment and dedication to take the ideas and vision of Congress president Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi to the people. Punjab is looking towards a change, and at such a time, the Congress party will have to further strengthen its organisation and strongly raise issues concerning the people,” Pilot said.
He also thanked Warring for his contribution to the party. “I also thank Shri Amrinder Singh Raja Warring for his tireless efforts and contribution towards strengthening the party and the organisation during his tenure,” Pilot said.
Warring, meanwhile, said he had resigned voluntarily after meeting Gandhi and indicated that he believed Pilot wanted him replaced. He also called his departure a victory for former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
“Nobody asked me to resign. I had realised what the situation was, and when I felt that the situation had come to a head, I voluntarily gave my resignation,” Warring said.
“Maybe Sachin Pilot felt it was not appropriate for me to continue as PCC president. Channi Sahib has won,” he added.
Also Read | Why Warring's position in Punjab Congress became untenable once Pilot replaced Baghel
Warring said he had briefed Gandhi about the challenges and strengths of the Punjab Congress and thanked him for the opportunity to lead the state unit.
The Congress recently replaced AICC in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, who spent weeks in Punjab to placate fighting factions, and appointed Pilot in his place.
