Chandigarh: Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal has backed newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Pargat Singh and warned party leaders against indiscipline, factionalism and actions that could harm the organisation's interests ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Punjab Khabarnama reported on Tuesday. The message was delivered during a series of meetings with senior leaders and party functionaries at Punjab Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh on Monday.

Source: Punjab Khabarnama

Venugopal and Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot stressed unity, discipline and collective responsibility, and warned that disloyalty and indiscipline would not be tolerated regardless of a leader's position, Punjab Chronicle reported. Election campaigns must serve the Congress organisation rather than individual political interests or personal publicity, Venugopal told the leaders, adding that the immediate priority was to win the Punjab Assembly elections. He reportedly reminded leaders that posts such as chief minister, minister or board chairperson could come after an electoral victory, and that he and Pilot were there to strengthen the organisation, not to seek such positions themselves.

Source: Punjab Chronicle

Senior leaders together, district chiefs told to perform

Venugopal held discussions with senior leaders, sitting and former legislators, MPs and district Congress committee presidents to review organisational preparedness, Punjab Khabarnama reported. Senior leaders seen together during the meetings included Pargat Singh, former PPCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Vijay Inder Singla. Venugopal highlighted the roles assigned to senior leaders, including Channi's responsibility as chairperson of the party's Campaign Committee. Pargat Singh, a former India hockey captain and MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment, was appointed PPCC president on October 2, replacing Warring.

Source: Punjab Khabarnama

District Congress committee presidents selected through the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan were told they would be expected to perform or risk removal, according to a senior leader who attended the meetings, both reports said. The focus was placed on organisational performance, local coordination and the ability to mobilise party workers as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.

Source: Punjab Chronicle

Sangrur rally preparations reviewed

Venugopal also reviewed preparations for Rahul Gandhi's proposed rally in Sangrur on November 4, for which the party is aiming to mobilise nearly one lakh people, according to the reports. The Congress plans to use the event to begin a major phase of its 2027 campaign, with a focus, according to Punjab Khabarnama, on the party's vision for Punjab including peace, security and tackling the drug problem. Sangrur is politically significant because of its association with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, and the Congress intends to use the rally to demonstrate its organisational strength. This is a report of the Congress high command's internal organisational directives; no response from other parties was sought or included in the reports, as the meetings concerned the Congress's own organisation.

Source: Punjab Khabarnama