Bathinda/Muktsar: Factionalism within the Punjab Congress unit spilled into public view on Monday again as banners were put up against party’s Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel in Muktsar and slogans raised in favour of Charanjit Singh Channi in Bathinda.High drama unfolded at the party’s ‘Har Booth Congress Majboot’ event in Bathinda when state unit president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring called a pro-Channi protester onto the stage and made him call the former chief minister.“If you have Channi Saab’s number, call him and tell him you want to disrupt this Congress programme. He will tell you not to do so,” Warring said on stage.When Channi did not answer two consecutive phone calls, Warring remarked that Channi was likely busy. He then directed party leader Kulbir Singh Zira to give his phone number to the youth, instructing the person to call him back once he spoke with Channi. The crowd responded with hooting in Warring’s support before the youth left the stage.This was the third day in a row when pro-Channi slogans were raised following incidents in Patiala and Sangrur on Aug 1 and Barnala and Mansa on Aug 2.The infighting also surfaced in Muktsar, Warring’s home district, where posters depicting Baghel in military-style attire appeared along Kotkapura Road alongside the text, “Go Back Baghel”. Other banners demanded the removal of both Warring and Baghel to “save Congress”. The anti-Baghel posters were later taken down.Speaking to the media later, Warring said he would not resign under pressure from factional sloganeering. “If the party high command removes me, I will not be angry or leave the party,” Warring said, adding that he would continue serving as a regular worker. He said the party won seven parliamentary seats in Punjab during the 2024 elections under his four-year presidency.BOX‘Misinterpreted’: Warring on Moose Wala remarksA day after slain rapper Sidhu Moose Wala’s father, Balkaur Singh, openly expressed anger over Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring repeatedly citing Moose Wala’s 2022 assembly election defeat, Warring refrained from mentioning the late singer in his latest address. Responding to media queries regarding Balkaur Singh’s comments, Warring said his remarks had been misinterpreted. “I have been saying that Moose Wala was immensely popular, with a fanbase comparable to that of the PM, but he lost by a large margin because our booth management was weak,” Warring explained. “I said that effective booth management, rather than social media reels or comments, is what actually wins elections.” He added, “I am the only MP who raised his voice in Parliament against Lawrence Bishnoi, the man behind Moose Wala’s murder. His father should not take my words the wrong way.”
