Ropar emerges as nerve centre for Congress politics as Punjab leadership battle intensifies

Ropar emerges as nerve centre for Congress politics as Punjab leadership battle intensifies

Channi and Rana KP camps turn district into focal point of high-stakes political contest ahead of Assembly elections

The ongoing power struggle within the Punjab Congress over the party's state leadership has unexpectedly turned the otherwise politically modest Ropar district into the nerve centre of Congress politics.

Though Ropar has only three Assembly constituencies, it has, over the past fortnight, witnessed two major political gatherings by opposing camps in the Congress.

The first show of strength came from the camp seeking a change in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) leadership. Former CM Charanjit Singh Channi hosted a massive gathering of party leaders and supporters at his residence in Morinda, where leaders questioned the continuation of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as PPCC president. The meeting was projected by the Channi camp as a clear message to the party high command that a large section of senior leaders favoured a leadership change before the Assembly elections.

The political spotlight shifted to Ropar town a few days later when former Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh hosted a dinner meeting in support of Raja Warring at his residence. The event assumed significance as Punjab Congress affairs incharge Bhupesh Baghel attended the dinner, lending considerable political weight to the gathering. Leaders close to Rana KP Singh maintained that the meeting reflected the confidence reposed in the existing state leadership and demonstrated that the majority of senior Congress functionaries stood with Warring.

Interestingly, both camps claimed that most of the senior Congress leaders in Punjab had attended their respective programmes, highlighting the intense battle for political legitimacy within the party.

Political observers say the developments have placed Ropar at the centre of the Congress internal equations, with the district emerging as venue for competing demonstrations of political influence.

Within the district itself, the Congress remains sharply divided between supporters of Channi and those aligned with Rana KP Singh.

Ironically, Rana KP Singh had been left dissatisfied after the recent organisational appointments made by the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections, with many in the party believing that his camp had received little representation. However, the current rebellion against Raja Warring has altered the political dynamics considerably.

Owing to his close association with Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, Rana KP Singh has now emerged as one of the principal defenders of the existing state leadership. He has consistently projected himself as a loyal supporter of the Congress high command and Rahul Gandhi, maintaining that the party would abide by whatever decision is ultimately taken by the central leadership.

On the other hand, Channi has emerged as the most prominent face of the group demanding a change in the PPCC leadership. He has been joined by former Punjab Youth Congress president Barinder Singh Dhillon and several other senior leaders who argue that the Congress cannot return to power under Raja Warring's leadership.

Leaders in the anti-Warring camp have repeatedly cited the Khadoor Sahib Assembly by-election campaign to justify their demand. They allege that remarks made by Raja Warring about veteran Dalit leader Buta Singh alienated a significant section of the Dalit community, traditionally regarded as an important support base for the Congress in Punjab. The camp has also criticised the manner in which issues relating to terrorism were raised during the b-election campaign, claiming these harmed the party's electoral prospects.

The dissident leaders further contend that a majority of senior Congress leaders favour a leadership change before the Assembly elections and insist that they are willing to accept any credible leader as PPCC chief provided it is not Raja Warring.

With rival camps choosing Ropar to hold their political mobilisations and stake competing claims over the party's future, the district has assumed an influence far beyond its electoral size.