Congress appoints Sukhdeo Bhagat as Chhattisgarh in-charge, moves Sachin Pilot to Punjab and shifts Bhupesh Baghel to Assam.

Punjab Congress's leadership crisis has gone from a quiet internal disagreement to an open, months-long standoff — and the party's attempt to broker peace over the weekend appears to have made things worse rather than better.

The internal tussle within the Punjab Congress showed little sign of easing after a crucial meeting between former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and senior party leader Bhupesh Baghel failed to produce a breakthrough. While the Congress leadership maintained that there was no crisis in the state unit, leaders aligned with Channi continued to press for the removal of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel on Friday dismissed speculation of factionalism within the state unit, asserting that the party remains united despite recent reports of internal differences among senior leaders. His remarks came amid continuing discussions over coordination between the party leadership and various camps ahead of key political challenges in the state.

The Congress leadership has attempted a delicate balancing act in Punjab by retaining Raja Warring as the state party president while assigning former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi a major role in the party’s election campaign machinery. The move, however, has sparked fresh political discussion over whether the party has resolved internal differences or merely managed them temporarily.