Punjab Congress MP Randhawa flips on Raja Warring: ‘Who asked for change?’

Punjab Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa publicly softened his earlier stance against Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, indicating a truce following the Congress high command’s decision to install Sachin Pilot as the party’s Punjab in‑charge. Randhawa told reporters in Delhi that no one, including himself or former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, had called for a change in the state party presidency, and he urged critics to identify themselves.

The realignment follows a series of high‑profile statements: on July 11 Randhawa described Warring as a “compromised leader” at a meeting in Chandigarh, and he repeated similar remarks on August 28 at a gathering in Rakhar Punya. The pivotal moment arrived on September 5 when the central leadership replaced Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot as Punjab in‑charge, a move that effectively made Randhawa, who now oversees the AICC’s Rajasthan affairs, answerable to Pilot. The episode also involved former chief minister Channi, who earlier led a “war council” demanding Warring’s removal but has since praised Pilot as a “good leader” and accepted the high command’s decision.

The episode reflects a broader power struggle within the Indian National Congress in Punjab, where factions aligned with Channi and Randhawa had previously challenged Warring’s leadership, citing dissatisfaction among party workers. With the internal dispute now portrayed as a “productive dialogue,” the party aims to present a united front ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Punjab later this month, a test that will reveal whether the current cease‑fire is lasting or merely tactical.