Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
In a significant political development amid months of internal friction within the Punjab Congress, former Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring were seen sharing the same stage during a protest in Chandigarh on Monday.
During the event, Congress leader Sachin Pilot was seated at the center, with Channi on his right and Raja Warring on his left. The two leaders were seen interacting on stage, sparking discussions about a possible easing of tensions within the state unit. As Channi’s name was announced from the stage, party workers raised slogans in his support. However, Channi did not mention Raja Warring during his speech.
When Raja Warring took the microphone, NSUI workers waved party flags enthusiastically despite his repeated requests to sit down. Addressing the gathering, Warring said that Channi and Bajwa were respected leaders of the party and deserved full respect.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also highlighted the gathering of senior Congress leaders on one platform, saying, “All Congress leaders have come together on this stage.” Referring to the party’s strategy for the upcoming elections, Bajwa stated that Congress would contest without projecting a chief ministerial face and would seek votes in the names of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sachin Pilot. He added that the final decision on leadership would be taken by the party high command after securing a majority.
The appearance marked the first time Channi and Warring had shared a stage since June 24, when they jointly addressed a press conference in Chandigarh. Their differences became public after the Congress high command announced various election-related committees on July 1. Channi was reportedly expecting a larger role in the state leadership based on his popularity, but the party retained Raja Warring as the Punjab Congress chief.
