"Congress is rattled": Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann says party engaged in infighting, not talking about state

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday took a swipe at the Congress over its internal discord and said the party is not focused on state issues ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday took a swipe at the Congress over its internal discord and said the party is not focused on state issues ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Speaking to ANI, Mann said, "Congress is rattled. Their infighting is not ending. They are not talking about any issues related to Punjab. They are only saying, "Go back, Mr Baghel". People will bring back the Aam Aadmi Party with a huge mandate in 2027."

Earlier in the day, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi raised slogans demanding that he be declared the party's chief ministerial face during a public meeting in Bathinda. The meeting was attended by Punjab Congress in-charge and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.

The sloganeering began as Raja Warring started addressing the gathering. He then called one of the slogan-raising supporters onto the stage and asked him to place a phone call to Charanjit Singh Channi. Supporters repeatedly demanded that the Congress leadership project Channi as the party's chief ministerial face for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. During the commotion, some supporters were also seen lifting chairs.

The incident comes amid visible jockeying within the Punjab Congress over leadership and the party's strategy for the next Assembly polls. As the protest disrupted the event, Raja Warring invited one of the vocal supporters onto the stage and offered to connect him via phone to Channi directly. While managing the unruly crowd and urging attendees to settle down, Warring addressed the dissent and defended party unity, while Channi's supporters continued to push for his leadership over the current state leadership.

Congress MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa staged a protest outside the Punjab Assembly during the Monsoon Session, accusing the AAP government of repeated examination paper leaks and demanding the resignation of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. Speaking to ANI, Bajwa alleged that six examination paper leaks had taken place in the last four-and-a-half years, affecting around 3.5 lakh students. He also accused the state government of failing to address issues related to recruitment, law and order and governance.

"In Punjab, exam papers have leaked six times over the last four and a half years--on a massive scale--affecting approximately 3.5 lakh students. We are also seeking the resignation of Harjot Bains. Bhagwant Mann is saying that there was no leak. We hold the Minister of Health responsible as well. I estimate that approximately 50 to 70 per cent of those who were given employment are non-Punjabis; that is why they are afraid to disclose the names. The entire system has collapsed under this government. The police force and police stations have been rendered ineffective," said Bajwa. Meanwhile, political parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal have begun preparations for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

The AAP had won the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls with a significant majority, forming its first government in the border state and ending the Congress' tenure in power. (ANI)