The BJP has used the infighting in the Congress’ Punjab unit to attack the grand old party, claiming it is “on the verge of collapse.”
According to BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, the “infighting within the Punjab Congress is taking a new turn every day.” India’s main opposition party is “on the verge of collapse” under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, he said, calling him an “immature and incompetent leader.”
“We saw a photograph of senior Congress leaders in which Raja Warring (party president) was missing. First, it was ‘Tiwari vs Punjab Congress’, then ‘Channi vs Punjab Congress’ and ‘Randhawa vs Punjab Congress and now everyone has united to oust Raja Warring,” the BJP spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Deputy Chief Minister Randhawa were said to be top contenders for the post of the state Congress chief. Channi and his supporters have demanded the removal of Raja Warring as Punjab Congress president. Leaders close to him claim the Punjab in-charge failed to present the actual political situation to the Congress high command.
Coming ahead of Assembly elections in Punjab, where the Congress has traditionally remained a strong force because of its long historical presence, broad social base, experienced organisation and decades-long status as one of the state’s two principal parties, these developments come as bad news for a party trying to make a comeback in the state.
However, amid declining dominance due to new political competition from the ruling AAP and internal challenges, the Congress’ turmoil is likely to benefit the BJP, which has made the border state its next political target after its success in West Bengal.
Observers say the Congress infighting helps the BJP’s electoral prospects by allowing it to project itself as the principal and stable alternative ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. “The proxy war for the Chief Minister’s post mirrors the internal collapse that destroyed Congress’s chances in the 2022 polls,” they add.
The BJP has been methodically building its standalone base in Punjab by absorbing disgruntled cadres and senior leaders from rival parties, positioning itself as an attractive alternative for those wanting to jump ship.
With the Punjab Congress lacking a state-wide leader, it is considering campaigning under Rahul Gandhi, enabling the BJP to frame the election as a national “Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi” contest.
Contesting all 117 seats independently, the BJP stands to benefit from a split anti-incumbency vote amid Congress infighting while leveraging concerns over law and order, drugs and security to project itself as Punjab’s most stable and disciplined political force. “The Congress is burning its own political harvest through infighting, jeopardising the anti-incumbency votes against the ruling AAP government. It is expected to be fragmented in a multi-cornered contest, allowing the BJP to maximise seat conversion even with lower vote shares,” analysts said.