The Ludhiana West by-election in the Punjab Congress has made the internal split of the party clear. During the election, the party was seen divided into two clear factions, in which the Ashu faction kept the senior leaders of the party completely away from the campaign. The decision to not include senior leaders like Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and national general secretary Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in the election campaign was taken by the faction led by Bharat Bhushan Ashu. This has raised questions on the internal unity of the party. According to sources, the Ashu faction had assured the high command that they would win this seat with their personal influence and strategy. But the huge defeat raised questions on the strategy and capability of this faction. The election results made it clear that the internal split of the party was the main reason for the candidate’s defeat. Meanwhile, Ashu’s statement that the defeat was due to not getting votes from the settlements. This clearly shows the lack of influence of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on the Dalit community.
The Congress high command has taken strong note of the party’s defeat in the Ludhiana West by-election and internal factionalism. The speed with which the resignations of Pradesh Congress Working President Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Vice Presidents Pargat Singh and Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon were accepted has made the high command’s displeasure clear. According to sources, the high command has received information that the Ashu faction deliberately kept senior leaders away from the campaign, which damaged the party’s image. Now, on the basis of the detailed investigation report submitted by Bhupesh Baghel, the high command is preparing to fix the accountability of some leaders. There is talk that some leaders can be called to Delhi and given a strong message. Along with this, the party is also considering taking strict steps to check indiscipline within the party. The main purpose of the high command’s strictness is to strengthen and unite the party for the next general elections, because in Punjab, the Congress is being considered the main opposition party to the ruling party.
High Command’s Strategy The high command needs to take strict and sound decisions to end the factionalism in the Punjab Congress and unite the party. In this context, discussions have started on the possibility of handing over the main responsibility to Pargat Singh. Pargat Singh has already set an example of restraint and dedication within the party. He is known as a leader with a clean image in Punjab politics. According to sources, the high command may consider giving Pargat Singh the post of state president or some other key post to strengthen the party. Pargat Singh’s sound leadership may help in controlling the factionalism within the party. The high command also needs to take strict action against the indiscipline of leaders like Ashu and unite all the senior leaders to prepare a strategy for the next elections. To strengthen the party’s position in the state, giving responsibilities in national politics to leaders like Charanjit Singh Channi, Raja Warring and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa can also be an important step. Congress needs to strengthen its internal organizational capacity to emerge as the main opposition party in Punjab in the next general elections.
