Will meet Baghel, present our views: Pargat Singh amid Punjab Congress buzz

Chandigarh, Jul 9 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Pargat Singh on Thursday said he and other party leaders would meet Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel to present their views, days after the latter began his five-day visit to the state, even as several leaders considered close to former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi are yet to meet him. Pargat Singh and senior leader and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa asserted that the Congress was "united and strong", saying the party's larger objective was to return to power after the 2027 Assembly polls. Pargat Singh, however, acknowledged that some "differences of opinion" existed and said these would be conveyed to Baghel. "One or two (leaders) have been authorised to talk. Baghel is our in-charge and the meeting will take place with him. Sukhjinder Randhawa ji will fix the meeting time with him," he said. Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and MLA Rana Gurjit Singh dismissed reports of factionalism, asserting that no one was above the party high command. "No one is above the high command," Singh told reporters here when asked about Channi and senior leaders, including himself, Randhawa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and some others, who are yet to meet Baghel. On Thursday, Channi, Randhawa, Pargat Singh, Ashu, and Gurkirat Singh met at MLA Rana Gurjit's residence here. However, Rana said they had all come to meet him on a civic poll-related issue in Kapurthala. Later, Pargat, Randhawa, and Rana briefly interacted with the media. Baghel has been holding a series of meetings here with party leaders in the run-up to the 2027 polls after his arrival here on Monday on a five-day visit. On July 1, the Congress announced that Amrinder Singh Raja Warring would continue as the Punjab unit president and appointed Channi as chairperson of the campaign committee. Several senior leaders held a meeting in Mohali in Channi's presence on Monday, days after several incumbent and former MLAs threw their weight behind him to be reconsidered for the state unit chief's post. Replying to a question, Rana Gurjit tried to portray that "All is Well" in Punjab Congress. When asked whether the perceived deadlock in the party would end, he replied, "Where is the deadlock? All is well". On Wednesday, Baghel had ruled out any change in party leadership in the state, saying these decisions are not "gudda-guddi ka khel" (child's play). Speaking to reporters here, Baghel had also said he would soon meet Jalandhar MP Channi, who is said to be "miffed" at not being appointed the state president. During his interaction with reporters at Rana Gurjit's residence here, Pargat Singh, who was taking questions on the ongoing developments in the state unit, said, "In a democracy, there is nothing wrong in having differences of opinion, and we may have differences of opinion, but our common target is to make the party victorious in the upcoming elections". "Punjab needs good governance, which only Congress can give. There is no group within Punjab Congress. It is only a difference of opinion, and together we will resolve things," said Pargat Singh. He asserted, "We are a team, and there is no problem. It is an ongoing process. We will sit and give our opinion. We will meet Baghel". Asked about Baghel ruling out any change in state leadership, Pargat Singh quipped, "He has his opinion, the high command has its own opinion. But we have the right to present our views. There is no dictatorship in the Congress like the AAP and the BJP. We have systems in place, and the high command is kept in the loop. We will apprise Baghel regarding our difference of opinion". "Our issues are very small and internal. The bigger issue is Punjab, and that is what we need to focus on," the Jalandhar Cantt MLA said. When Rana Gurjit Singh was asked how soon the "deadlock would break", he quipped, "Where is the deadlock?" "All is well". Both Pargat Singh and Randhawa said there were burning issues facing Punjab today. "Gangsters are running criminal networks from jail, raising serious questions about law and order," Randhawa said. A Punjab police inspector has been linked to serious allegations contained in a US federal indictment against members of an India-based organised crime syndicate, Randhawa added. PTI SUN RHL RHL