Punjab Elections: Congress replaced Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot as in-charge in Punjab with just a few months remaining in the assembly polls. The decision was taken primarily to resolve the infighting and form a solid strategy to form government in the state. Pilot, known for his organizational skills, took some aggressive decisions within weeks of taking over the post. However, will he be able to bring Congress back to power and boost his stature within the party?

Congress Deals With Internal Conflict 

One of Pilot's first major decisions was to remove Amarinder Raja Warring from the post of party's president in Punjab. The decision was taken following persistent complaints from senior leaders, including Charanjit Singh Channi and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa for the past few months. As per reports, Pilot suggested a change in regional leadership after conducting an internal survey. However, the biggest challenge for him would be to keep the leaders together under Pargat Singh, the new party chief in Punjab, till the assembly elections.

Punjab: Will Congress Declare CM Face?

Sachin Pilot has reportedly suggested the party leadership to announce any leader for the CM post to avoid internal conflicts. Earlier, Pilot stated that Congress will contest the polls together under the leadership of senior leader Rahul Gandhi.

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Lessons From Past And Pilot's Portfolio

The infighting in Congress is not new as the party faced similar situation in 2022, when factions emerged under the leadership of Navjot Sidhu and Captain Amarinder, then chief minister. The party paid a huge price due to the internal crisis by facing a humiliating loss in the assembly elections.

However, the top brass has shown faith in Pilot, who successfully led Congress' campaign in the 2018 Rajasthan assembly polls. Apart from this, he has also remained a key member in the campaign of other assembly polls, including Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.

The assembly election in Punjab is scheduled to be conducted in the early months of 2027. Along with the ruling AAP, Congress will also face the challenge of BJP and SAD.

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