Yudhvir RanaAmritsar: Although infighting in the Punjab Congress is nothing new, the squabbling over the past few weeks could not have come at a worse time. Ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, party veterans face the major challenge of keeping the flock together.For the high command, it is of utmost importance to prevent factionalism from disrupting the party’s prospects in 2027. To this end, a high-level Congress delegation comprising members of the Indian Overseas Congress, led by Ausuf Khan from Austria, has quietly completed an extensive review of the political situation across Punjab.The team, which visited the Malwa and Doaba regions for over a week and is currently touring Majha, avoided interactions with senior Congress leaders, choosing instead to gauge public sentiment through meetings with ordinary voters and grassroots party workers.Speaking to The Times of India after concluding the Malwa and Doaba leg of the tour on Tuesday, delegation president Ausuf Khan maintained that the Congress continues to enjoy a strong organisational base in Punjab despite the damaging perception created by infighting.“The Congress remains on a strong footing in Punjab. The internal discord has undoubtedly tarnished the party’s image, but we found widespread concern among urban business communities, both Hindus and Sikhs, over gangsterism, corruption, and the growing sense of insecurity. Many businessmen are even considering relocating to safer places,” said Ausuf.Describing this segment as a “silent voter”, the delegation leader said the electorate appeared to be looking for credible and reassuring leadership. “Many feel that an experienced Hindu face, capable of inspiring confidence across communities, may prove to be a more effective choice than a Sikh face in the present circumstances,” he observed.Another delegation member, Jagttar Singh Bittu from France, said they would submit their findings to the Congress high command for further deliberation.Observing that it is not unusual for political parties to send discreet emissaries to gauge public mood, veteran Congress leader and former Punjab cabinet minister Prof Darbari Lal said that, in the case of the Congress, such an exercise had come “a little too late”.On the debate over projecting a Hindu face for the chief minister’s post, Darbari Lal said Punjab has had successful Hindu chief ministers in the past, including Gopi Chand Bhargava, Bhim Sen Sachar, and Ram Kishan. He also pointed out that, historically, the president of the Punjab Congress has often gone on to become the state’s chief minister, citing examples such as Giani Zail Singh, Darbara Singh, Beant Singh, and Capt Amarinder Singh.‘Problem lies with high command’With differences between Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi becoming a spectacle for both the public and the opposition, Darbari Lal observed that senior leaders were at their wits’ end. He attributed the high-octane drama to a fumbling high command.“In my view, the real problem lies with the Congress high command, which has failed to take firm and timely decisions. The uncertainty at the top has only deepened the confusion within the party ranks,” he said.
