Amritsar: Newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Pargat Singh began his first visit to the state after taking charge on Thursday by paying obeisance at prominent religious shrines of Amritsar. He was accompanied by Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot and several senior party functionaries.All Punjab MPs of the Congress were, however, absent as they are part of the party’s protest in Delhi to seek the removal of the chief election commissioner.Pargat, who succeeded Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Congress chief on Oct 3, arrived at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport from Delhi around 9am, where party functionaries and workers welcomed him with drum beats. He then headed straight to the Golden Temple to pay obeisance.Pilot was on the wheel of the car during the visit.Speaking at the Golden Temple, Pargat said he had come to offer thanksgiving and made it clear the day was not meant for political activity. “Today is not a day for politics. I will certainly do politics, but after a day or two,” he said.He later visited the Sri Durgiana Temple, St Paul Church and Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthan in Amritsar. The visits were part of his programme to seek blessings for communal harmony, brotherhood and solidarity before taking charge as Punjab Congress president on Oct 11.He had earlier appealed to party workers and supporters to avoid large gatherings at religious places, so that devotees were not inconvenienced. He also urged them to maintain simplicity and humility during the visits.Sources in the Congress informed that Pargat was likely to hold a meeting with the Punjab Congress leadership in Mohali as part of his initial engagements after taking charge. He is also scheduled to visit the Mata Chintpurni shrine in Himachal Pradesh the following day.Before returning to Punjab, Pargat had met Warring in Delhi. After the meeting, he said the Congress was united in Punjab and differences of opinion were part of democracy.He said the party would unitedly contest the 2027 Punjab assembly elections , signalling that maintaining unity within the state unit would be among his priorities as he begins his tenure as PPCC chief. He along with Pilot and other Congress functionaries later had a cup of tea at the famous Giani Tea Stall.
