Punjab: Draggers out in Congress after Tarn Taran bypoll debacle

PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also met Baghel and discussed the internal politics in the state unit and wide-ranging issues of Punjab politics.

In the wake of dismal performance in the Tarn Taran bypoll, senior party leaders have begun raising the issue of fixing ‘accountability’ for the defeat by holding separate meetings with AICC secretary and Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday in Delhi. The party not only failed to make a mark in the byelection but also lost its security deposit, finishing a distant fourth. The poor showing has intensified discontent within the ranks, with several leaders calling for a reassessment of political strategy and leadership structure in the state unit.

A large number of party leaders, including sitting MPs, MLAs, and former legislators, have also sought urgent appointments with Baghel.

PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also met Baghel and discussed the internal politics in the state unit and wide-ranging issues of Punjab politics.

A large number of party leaders, including sitting MPs, MLAs, and former legislators, have also sought urgent appointments with Baghel. People privy to the developments said Baghel, who was inundated with requests for meetings, advised the leaders to remain in Chandigarh and said he would be arriving on Friday to hold discussions.

His visit is also slated to include meetings with the newly appointed District Congress Committee (DCC) president and other key office-bearers as the party attempts to assess the reasons behind the electoral setback and chart a corrective course.

Many party leaders, who didn’t wish to be named, said that the Punjab Congress chief’s remarks alienated sections within the party. A delegation of Dalit Congress leaders met Baghel separately, expressing concern over what they described as the growing drift of Dalit voters away from the Congress.

“They attributed this trend to the over-dominance of Jat-Sikh leadership in organisational and decision-making roles, warning that unless the party recalibrates its approach, erosion of this crucial voter base could deepen,” the party leader quoted above added.

Similarly, the issue of the Hindu vote bank drifting towards the BJP was also raised by leaders. “There must be accountability as the party has lost badly. By this approach party can’t challenge the present government in the 2027 assembly polls”, said a leader after meeting Baghel, pleading anonymity. Dalit leaders, including MP Amar Singh, Sukhwinder Singh Danny and others, also met the Bhagel and raised similar issues.

However, the leaders close to the PPCC chief termed the meetings as routine discussions. Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress today submitted 26,85,828 signatures against the ‘vote-chori’ (vote theft) to the party high command.

Baghel, Warring and Bajwa submitted the signed forms to the general secretary organisation, KC Venugopal.