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With Sachin Pilot being appointed the general secretary in-charge of poll-bound Punjab, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday called him a "good leader" and said a "new hope" has emerged among party workers in the state with his appointment.
Party leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said neither he nor Channi ever asked about changing the Punjab Congress chief.
Randhawa's remarks came amid alleged factionalism within the Punjab Congress unit over the state leadership.
Channi welcomes Pilot's appointment
Randhawa, Channi and Gurdaspur MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra on Wednesday met Pilot in Delhi after he was entrusted with the task of general secretary in-charge of Punjab.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Channi said the people of Punjab like Pilot, who comes from the neighbouring state.
"With his arrival (appointment as in-charge of Punjab), a new hope has arisen among Congress workers in Punjab and it will benefit us. A good leadership has come," said Channi as he expressed confidence that the Congress would form the next government in Punjab after the 2027 Assembly polls due early next year.
Asked whether all leaders will come together on one platform, Channi said the kind of decision the Congress leadership is taking, a good atmosphere in favour of the party is building in Punjab.
"Pilot is a good leader and he is capable of taking all of us along," he said replying to another query.
Randhawa rejects demand to change Punjab Congress chief
Replying to a question on the decision regarding the Punjab Congress chief, Channi said, "Who is to be made the president or in-charge, who is to be changed or who is not be changed, it is not in our hands. It is the decision of the party high command. What it decides, we go by it."
When Randhawa was asked about the demand for changing Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, the Gurdaspur MP rejected such suggestions.
"When did we tell you that the PPCC president be changed? Did anyone ask about it? Do not say such a thing. Have Channi Saab or I or any leader asked about changing the PPCC," asked Randhawa, the former deputy chief minister.
Congress reshuffle comes amid Punjab factionalism
The Congress on Saturday carried out a major organisational reshuffle and appointed Pilot as general secretary in-charge of poll-bound Punjab, replacing Bhupesh Baghel.
Incidentally, Pilot till now was in-charge of Chhattisgarh, where Baghel is a key leader and a former chief minister. Baghel will now look after Assam, replacing Jitendra Singh.
The alleged infighting was triggered after the Congress leadership on July 1 announced its decision to retain Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as the state unit chief and appoint former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the chairperson of its campaign committee.
A section of leaders led by Channi opposed the move to retain Warring as the Punjab Congress president and sought his removal from the position.
Channi's supporters openly demanded the removal of Warring from the Punjab Congress chief post and that the Jalandhar MP be declared the chief ministerial face of the party for the 2027 Assembly polls.
Baghel's recent visits to Punjab failed to end factionalism, while Channi's supporters even accused him of "favouring" Warring.
