Congress leader Rahul Gandhi delivered a stern message to Punjab party leaders on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of team unity and subordinating individual ambitions to party interests. Speaking at a rally in Barnala, Gandhi warned that leaders unwilling to function as team players would find themselves benched, reiterating that no single individual is larger than the party itself. The rally marks the official launch of Congress’s election campaign ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for February 2027.
With all major parties intensifying their preparations, Gandhi’s address focused on strengthening internal cohesion within the Punjab Congress, which has faced organizational challenges in recent years. “One player cannot win a match,” Gandhi said, emphasizing the collective nature of political success. “Our workers are our strength. No leader is bigger than the party,” he asserted, underscoring the message that party unity and discipline take precedence over individual political ambitions. The choice of Barnala in the Malwa region as the venue for Gandhi’s rally carries significant political symbolism. Historically, the Malwa region has been crucial to Punjab’s political landscape.
Both current Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal hailed from this region, as did Badal’s son and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. The Congress party is attempting to reverse its declining fortunes in what is traditionally considered a politically significant area. According to party observers, Barnala’s selection as the campaign headquarters reflects Congress’s strategic focus. The Malwa region, which has been dominated by the AAP in recent elections, represents a key battleground for the 2027 elections. Besides the current Chief Minister, three AAP ministers—Harpal Singh Cheema, Barinder Singh Goel, and Aman Arora—along with AAP MP Meet Hayer also hail from the region, underscoring its political importance. The rally witnessed an impressive display of party unity, with prominent Congress leaders in attendance, including Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, and several other senior party figures.
The gathering at the MNREGA Mazdoor Kisan Bachao Maha Rally at the grain market drew large crowds of party workers and supporters. Gandhi targeted the central government on multiple fronts, criticizing the MNREGA amendment bill and the proposed US-India trade deal. Both issues, he argued, would negatively impact farmers and workers in Punjab, core constituencies that Congress seeks to mobilize for the upcoming elections. Present at the rally were Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Dr. Rajkumar Verka, Barnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Kala Dhillon, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Bibi Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi, Gurjit Singh Aujla, and former minister and Congress MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, among many other senior leaders.
The rally signals Congress’s determination to mount a credible challenge to the incumbent AAP government and the opposition SAD-BSP alliance in the 2027 elections. By emphasizing party discipline and unity, Gandhi appears to be addressing long-standing concerns about factional conflicts within the Punjab Congress that have reportedly weakened the party’s organizational strength in recent elections.
Leave a Reply