Why Did Charanjit Singh Channi Skip Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha Speech? Punjab Congress Internal Feud Deepens
The internal factionalism within the Punjab Congress has once again burst into the open following a major political development in the national capital and the state. On Wednesday, during a crucial session of the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a fierce attack on the BJP government over police action against students at Jantar Mantar. However, Jalandhar Congress MP and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was conspicuously absent from the House. Out of the seven Congress MPs from Punjab, Channi was the only lawmaker who skipped the proceedings during Rahul Gandhi's address, despite an internal WhatsApp message urging all party MPs to be present in Parliament.
Ignoring WhatsApp Directives to Lead Faridkot Protest
According to party sources, while no official whip was issued, Congress Parliamentary Party chief and Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla had circulated a WhatsApp message to all party MPs instructing them to be seated in the House by 12 noon ahead of Rahul Gandhi's speech around 1 pm. Defying this directive, Channi traveled to Faridkot, Punjab, to lead a high-profile sit-in protest outside Baba Farid University. The demonstration was organized against the backdrop of a major controversy surrounding a pharmacy officer recruitment exam where the Punjab Police claimed to have busted an interstate cheating ring. The rally was spearheaded by former MLA Kushaldeep Singh "Kikki" Dhillon, a key ally backing Channi's ongoing campaign against Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
Open Confrontation Between Channi and Raja Warring Factions
The Faridkot protest witnessed massive participation from several senior Congress leaders and Channi loyalists, including MLAs Rana Gurjit Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Barindermeet Singh Pahra, and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, exposing deep-seated divisions within the state unit. Defending Channi's absence from Parliament, supporters argued that the state-level protest was pre-planned and vital for cornering the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over exam leaks. They openly criticized state chief Raja Warring, claiming he should leave idle parliamentary duties and lead ground protests in Punjab instead. Meanwhile, in a sharp contrast of actions, Raja Warring joined other Punjab MPs inside the Parliament complex to stage a parallel protest against the AAP administration, demanding the resignation of state Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.
Bhupesh Baghel Steps In With a 10-Day Punjab Marathon Tour
With the public tussle between key leaders threatening party stability, the Congress high-cadre leadership has moved swiftly to control the damage. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Bhupesh Baghel is set to kick off an intensive 10-day tour of the state. This marks his second visit within the month, during which he will extensively travel across the Malwa region—covering districts like Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, and Faridkot—to hold closed-door meetings with district presidents, streamline organizational expansion, and finalize preparations for upcoming political challenges.
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