Punjab Congress President Raja Vading said that Charanjit Channi has not distanced himself from the party. After the former CM did not attend the important meeting, Vading denied any major rift in the party and said that everything would be resolved soon.
Chandigarh [भारत]July 7 (ANI): Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Vading on Tuesday said that he has not distanced himself from the party even after former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi skipped an important party meeting.
AICC Punjab in-charge general secretary Bhupesh Baghel held an important meeting with state Congress leaders. Along with Channi, Congress MP and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also did not attend the meeting.
Channi did not distance himself from the party: Raja Vading
Speaking to ANI, Raja Vading said that the grievances within the party’s Punjab unit will be resolved through talks and the entire Punjab Congress will soon be united. He said, “Two senior leaders, Charanjit Singh Channi and Sukhjinder Randhawa, will also meet AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel. Channi is not distancing himself from the party; as I said, he is a prominent leader of ours.”
Furthermore, refuting claims of a major rift within the Punjab Congress, he said that no MLA or MP from the party switched sides like the seven Aam Aadmi Party MPs who joined the BJP in the Rajya Sabha. “Six Rajya Sabha members of the Aam Aadmi Party left the party. Not a single person from our side left the party; not even a single candidate contesting the elections left us. There may be some minor grievances, but things get resolved through talks and discussions. You will soon see the entire Congress united,” Vading said.
Congress busy preparing for 2027 assembly elections
Talking about the party meeting ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, he said Bhupesh Baghel met the leaders personally and the party is seeking suggestions from all senior leaders. The state Congress president also said that the party is focusing on booth-level management. Raja Vading said, “There are just six or seven months left for the elections, and suggestions are being sought through one-on-one meetings with all senior leaders. AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, is meeting them personally. We are focusing on booth-level management, ‘booth sevaks’ (volunteers), and the functioning of our mandals and committees.”
Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh today, Punjab Congress in-charge Baghel said, “There is no resentment among anyone.”
Channi faction in Delhi, political stir due to picture
Channi, along with a group of his loyalists, is reported to be in Delhi to register their grievances over the recent leadership reshuffle in the party’s state unit. This is happening when the party is starting preparations for the 2027 assembly elections.
Before Baghel’s arrival, senior Congress leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa shared a photo online of Charanjit Singh Channi along with other leaders.
Those in the picture included MLAs Barindermeet Singh Pahda, Pargat Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and election committee co-chairman Razia Sultana and former MLA Khushdeep Singh Dhillon. Prominent leaders like PPCC chief Vading, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa and MLA Sukhpal Khaira were missing from the picture. (ANI)
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