Chandigarh: Punjab leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday fuelled talk of a possible change in the state Congress leadership with a “weather may change” response to a question on whether the party could get a new state president.When asked about the party’s state president being replaced during a press conference here, Bajwa at first said he could not say anything about it at present. However, smiling, he remarked, “You never know when the weather may change and when the party president may change.”Bajwa’s remark came amid talk of the replacement of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.The Congress appointed Sachin Pilot as its Punjab affairs in charge on Sept 5. Since then, Pilot has been holding discussions with senior functionaries and office-bearers of the state unit. The party has also been focusing on strengthening the organisation as it prepares for the 2027 assembly elections.Factionalism within the party came out in the open after the high command retained Warring as PPCC president on July 1. After this, a faction of leaders, including former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and MLAs Pargat Singh and Rana Gurjeet Singh, had been pressing the high command for Warring’s replacement.Sources said the party is looking for a leader capable of working with all factions.Apart from Pargat and Bajwa, functionaries whose names are doing the rounds for the post include four-time Raja Sansi MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, three-time Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and former minister Vijay Inder Singla.On the proposed visit of Rahul Gandhi to Punjab, Bajwa said preparations had begun and expressed hope he would visit the state in the second or third week of Oct. Pilot had earlier said the party’s campaign in Punjab had begun and central leadership would soon join the campaign.Responding to questions about the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party stepping up their election-related activities and whether Congress was lagging behind, Bajwa rejected the suggestion. He said Congress had also started work at the grassroots, with party leaders regularly meeting people in their respective constituencies to understand their problems and suggestions.Bajwa said work was also underway on the party’s election manifesto. The manifesto committee was seeking views from people in Amritsar and other cities across Punjab, he said.
