New Delhi: The Congress has replaced Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot as its in-charge for Punjab. The leader from Rajasthan will now oversee the party’s affairs in a state where factional disputes have become a major challenge ahead of the Assembly elections.
After several rounds of talks, the Congress high command announced on July 1 that Warring would continue as Punjab Congress president.
In December 2023, the Congress appointed him as a national general secretary and gave him responsibility for Chhattisgarh. Pilot’s appointment adds to the responsibilities he has taken on within the party and comes as Congress prepares for a contest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Bhagwant Mann. A possible BJP-Akali Dal alliance could make the Punjab contest a three-way fight. The Congress leader’s immediate task will be to bring the party’s senior leaders together and settle the dispute over the state leadership. He has held several important positions during his political career. He served as a Union minister of state with independent charge in the Manmohan Singh government, became president of the Rajasthan Congress and later served as Rajasthan’s deputy chief minister. His new Punjab assignment gives him another important organisational role at a time when the party is preparing for elections. Punjab presents Pilot with a complicated internal situation. Several senior leaders under former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi have been seeking the removal of state Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. Pilot’s appointment has been welcomed by Warring, Channi, Randhawa and several other Punjab Congress leaders. His first challenge will be to find out whether the change in the party’s central leadership can help settle the dispute over the state president’s post.
