- Channi and supporters demand removal of Punjab Congress chief Warring
- Former CM Channi skipped crucial meeting with state in-charge Baghel
- Channi plans to meet high command, Rahul Gandhi, regarding leadership
State Bureau, Chandigarh: The internal rift in Punjab Congress has reportedly escalated, with former chief minister Charanjit Channi and his supporters continuing to press for the removal of party president Amarinder Raja Warring. Bhupesh Baghel, in charge of state affairs for Congress, is set to hold a high-level meeting with the senior leaders on Tuesday for the second day in a row. The reports suggest that Baghel is likely to hold a meeting with district party presidents at the Punjab Congress Bhawan.
Channi Skips Key Meeting
However, Channi, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and senior leader Pargat Singh are in Delhi and will take part in the meeting. Earlier on Monday, Baghel held one-on-one meetings with Election Committee Chairman Amar Singh, Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa, and State Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and took their feedback.
Channi and his supporters maintained distance from this meeting, exposing the internal discontent among the senior leaders. The former chief minister is planning to meet the party high command and propose to remove Warring from the top party post, reports Jagran, citing sources.
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Rahul Gandhi Likely To Intervene
Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to return from his foreign tour on Tuesday and is expected to intervene in the matter. As per the reports, Channi has requested an appointment with Gandhi; however, the meeting time has not been finalised.
The reports also suggest that senior leader Pratap Singh Bajwa has also tried to resolve the dispute by establishing dialogue between both the factions, but the discussion could not reach any concrete conclusion. Earlier on Monday, Baghel clarified that Channi was not present in the meeting due to his Delhi visit, adding that he will discuss the strategy with him once he is back.
The assembly election in Punjab is likely to be held in the early months of 2017 and is considered crucial for Congress, as the party will try to make a comeback in the state.