Congress Replaces Baghel With Pilot as Punjab In-Charge Amid Factional Turmoil
Bhupesh Baghel's tenure as Punjab Congress in-charge ends after factional clashes and anti-Baghel protests; Sachin Pilot takes over.
The Congress high command has replaced Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot as the party's general secretary in-charge of Punjab, marking the end of a mission that was meant to unify the state unit ahead of the 2027 assembly elections but instead became a showcase of its deep internal divisions.
Baghel was appointed to the role in July with the task of reconciling the rival camps of state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. At the time, Baghel publicly downplayed the friction, calling it a "spirit of competition" and warning against indiscipline.
However, the truce did not hold. During a statewide organisational tour, dissent spilled into public view. At a party event in Patiala, slogans such as "Channi lao, Punjab bachao" were raised in Baghel's presence. The situation worsened in Ludhiana on August 6, when a meeting meant to prepare for the 2027 elections was disrupted by protesters chanting "Bhupesh Baghel Go Back". Supporters of Channi loyalist Bharat Bhushan Ashu reportedly wore anti-Baghel T-shirts, and rival groups clashed at the venue.
The irony was stark: the man sent to quell factionalism had himself become a target of rebellion. Even threats of disciplinary action failed to restore order. By late August, a Congress show of strength at Baba Bakala again exposed the divide, with Channi's supporters dominating the stage while Warring's camp was conspicuously absent.
With Punjab MLAs seeking central intervention, the high command has now turned to Pilot, handing him the difficult task that Baghel could not complete. The question for Pilot is not whether factionalism exists in Punjab Congress, but whether he can succeed where his predecessor failed.