Punjab Congress Campaign Hit By Internal Factionalism And Clashes Across State
Punjab Congress faces internal clashes during campaign
Factionalism within the Punjab Congress came into sharp focus during the party's 10-day “Har Booth Mazboot” campaign, with slogan-shouting, protests, poster disputes and clashes reported at several programmes across the state. The campaign, led by Punjab Congress in-charge and AICC general secretary Bhupesh Baghel, concluded on Saturday after he travelled across 18 districts to assess the party's preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections. Instead of presenting a united front, the tour exposed continuing differences between rival groups within the state unit.
The campaign concluded in Ludhiana, the parliamentary constituency of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, where tensions were again visible during a programme in Khanna. Supporters of former Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu reportedly raised slogans during the event. Warring subsequently accused the group of being backed by the RSS, an allegation that reflects the intensity of the internal political dispute. The incidents added to concerns over whether the state Congress leadership can maintain cohesion as it prepares for the next Assembly election.
Malerkotla also witnessed a confrontation between rival Congress factions during one of Baghel's programmes. The disagreement reportedly escalated into a physical clash on stage, prompting police personnel to intervene and use batons to separate the groups. At Khanna, another group of Congress workers raised slogans in support of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. When attempts were reportedly made to stop the slogan-shouting, the workers walked out of the meeting, further highlighting the divisions within the party.
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Similar disagreements and protests were reported during Congress programmes in Patiala, Sangrur, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Muktsar and Mansa. The repeated disruptions across districts suggested that the problems facing the state unit extend beyond a single local dispute. Rival leaders and their supporters have increasingly displayed competing loyalties, raising questions about the party's ability to coordinate its organisation and campaign strategy ahead of the 2027 polls.
The “Har Booth Mazboot” campaign was intended to strengthen the Congress's grassroots organisation and prepare its booth-level machinery for the electoral contest. However, a senior Congress leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the exercise had failed to achieve its intended objective. According to the leader, the continuing internal disagreements meant that the campaign did not substantially improve the party's booth-level organisation. The assessment reflects concerns within the Congress that factional disputes could undermine its electoral preparations.
The latest incidents come as Congress seeks to challenge the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab and rebuild its organisational strength ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. The party's leadership will now face the task of addressing the differences highlighted during Baghel's statewide tour. With clashes and competing slogans overshadowing several programmes, the Congress will need to restore greater coordination among its state leaders and workers if it is to turn its organisational campaign into an effective electoral strategy.
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