Cong vs Cong in Punjab: With ‘sleeper cell’ warning, party puts Channi camp on notice

Baghel and Warring warned of action against “sleeper cells” amid Congress’s escalating feud with former CM Channi

NEW DELHI: Will the Congress crack the whip against dissidents in Punjab? With differences between state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi becoming an embarrassing public spectacle, the Congress has sent out a strong message to disgruntled leaders in Punjab, warning of action against “sleeper cells” within its own ranks in the poll-bound state.“We have to identify and fight the sleeper cells inside the Congress. A strong organisation at the booth level is the key to victory,” said AICC general secretary and Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, in a clear message to those who have raised a banner of revolt against the leadership. Baghel declared that the Congress was fighting a “multi-cornered battle” not only against political rivals but also against those within the party allegedly working for opponents.Taking forward Baghel’s message, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring declared that no party ticket would be given to anyone found operating as part of “sleeper cells.” “While the high command will decide the candidates, I will ensure that no person working against the party gets a ticket. Loyalty to the Congress is non-negotiable,” the Punjab Congress chief asserted.Warring also targeted former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who is now with the BJP, accusing him of betraying the Congress during the 2022 assembly elections. Warring alleged that Jakhar had worked in tacit understanding with the BJP despite heading the Congress campaign committee.

Congress message for Charanjit Singh Channi?

While Baghel and Warring did not take any names, their target was obvious. The dissidents in Punjab are backing former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who has been unhappy after being denied the post of state Congress chief in the organisational reshuffle that was announced on July 1. The move triggered a storm that continues to rock and embarrass the party even a month later.With Warring retained as state Congress chief by the party high command, Channi and his supporters have missed no opportunity to show their “dissent” and openly challenge the party’s decision. Even the presence of Baghel in the state has not helped to ease tempers. From poster war to sloganeering at party meetings – here’s how the open show of defiance has played out.While “Go Back Baghel” poster surfaced in Muktsar, another poster surfaced in Ferozepur showing Channi wearing a vest with “RSS” printed on it.Supporters of Channi have indulged in sloganeering at party programmes attended by Warring and Bhupesh Baghel in Patiala and Sangrur.In another event in Sangrur town, activists of both camps clashed in the presence of senior leaders.Channi’s camp, comprising several state leaders, has been demanding the replacement of Warring by citing specific instances on how the state chief had created divisions within the party leadership.Last month, they even gave an open ultimatum to the central leadership to make Channi, the Congress MP from Jalandhar and a prominent Dalit face, as state chief saying that under Warring’s leadership the Congress cannot come to power.

Channi from ‘chosen one’ to ‘dissident’

Interestingly in 2022, Channi was the chosen one as the Congress grappled with intense internal fighting between the then chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his challenger Navjot Singh Sidhu.With the two senior leaders engaging in open power tussle, Congress sidelined both and picked Channi to lead the state and the party in the 2022 assembly elections. But under Channi, the Congress was decimated and reduced to 18 seats from the 77 it had won in 2017 under Captain Amarinder Singh.Channi, who has now been made the head of the Congress campaign committee, has dropped enough hints that he does not accept the leadership of Warring.

Why Congress is backing Warring

And that brings us to the present Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who was handed over the reins of the party by Rahul Gandhi in 2022 after the humiliating defeat in assembly elections.Warring, who has faced sloganeering from supporters of Channi during recent party programmes, has refused to step down. He has said that if the party high command decides to replace him, he would continue to work to strengthen the organisation.“I have no desire to be the chief minister. I will better retire than leave the Congress. Rahul Gandhi also knows that Raja Warring can die, but never compromise with the BJP,” he said in one of his speeches.Warring has cited Congress’s 2024 Lok Sabha performance – when it won seven of 13 seats – to justify his efforts at reviving the party.In a highly emotional speech at his hometown in Muktsar recently, Warring had said: “Everyone is after my life. Akalis, BJP and the broom (AAP) and even some of our own are after me. I have not committed any sin and my only sin is that when we came from 80 to 18 I was handed over the reins of the party.”Maintaining that he started from the scratch when the morale of the party’s rank and file was low and some leaders preferred to stay abroad for months together, Warring said he led from the front.Warring played down the slogans raised by Channi’s supporters during party events and said, “People oppose those who are successful. Those 20-25 poor souls who come, one doesn’t even know how they are brought in or what they are told. I actually feel sorry for them; this sort of thing has been happening for ages. The event went well; people listened to the speeches, and there was a huge crowd. People do these things; it doesn’t matter. I have been in politics for 25 years.”

So, what should be the way forward?

Former Punjab minister Razia Sultana called upon the party high command to take strict action against all those who were indulging in indiscipline and damaging the party. She warned that if timely action was not taken, the party could suffer major damage.

“Nip the evil in the bud,” Sultana remarked.But can the Congress do that? Theoretically yes, but practically we haven’t seen the grand-old-party take clear leadership decisions, except perhaps in Karnataka. For the Congress high command, the standard playbook for handling leadership tussles in states has been “ambiguity is the best policy.”And Punjab has been no different. One can only hope that the Congress acts before it is too late. The strong warning to dissidents is a welcome first step, but it remains to be seen if the party high command can follow this up with action without being scared of the consequences.