New Punjab Congress chief calls for unity ahead of Assembly election
Pargat Singh, appointed Punjab Congress president in place of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, has urged rival factions to work together ahead of the State election due early next year. Drawing on his hockey career, he described the party as a team and promised consensus-based decisions and constructive politics.
Newly appointed Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh has called for unity within the faction-ridden State unit as the party prepares for an Assembly election due early next year. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Saturday, Mr. Singh drew on his experience as a former captain of the Indian hockey team to emphasise teamwork.
He said he had always been a team player and described his role as that of a full-back, supporting the team from behind. Mr. Singh said the party had several strong leaders and that decisions would be taken unanimously.
“The issue is Punjab and not differences amongst us,” he said, while describing outgoing PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as a member of the Congress team. He said senior leaders would be ahead of him in the organisation and referred to the Congress as Rahul Gandhi’s team. Mr.
Singh also said the party would pursue constructive politics and seek to revive democracy. He called on people who had left the Congress to return if they wished to contribute to Punjab. Mr.
Singh met Sachin Pilot, the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Punjab. Mr. Pilot said the new chief’s experience as a national hockey captain would help him build an inclusive organisation despite the limited time before the election.
He said the Congress would work with its workers to form the government in the State. Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar described the appointment as somewhat unexpected and a generational shift. He urged Mr.
Singh to promote civility, avoid harsh rhetoric, develop a practical agenda for Punjab’s renewal and present the party as inclusive.
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