In Congress vs Congress, Punjab Chief's Ticket Stance Publicly Contradicted

A Congress rally in Khanna turned into a display of the party's infighting after senior leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa appeared to directly counter Punjab chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring's stance on giving multiple election tickets to members of the same family.

Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Randhawa shared the stage at Issru near Khanna, while Warring wasn't present, adding to the buzz around the party's growing factional divide.

Addressing the gathering, Channi said the Congress was preparing for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections to help Rahul Gandhi form the next government at the Centre.

"Congress is in our blood; we don't need a certificate from anyone. We will lay the foundation for a Rahul Gandhi-led government at the Centre by winning Punjab in 2027," Channi said.

However, the biggest political message at the rally came from Randhawa, whose remarks were widely seen as a direct response to Warring's statement that the Congress would not give two tickets to members of the same family.

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Randhawa said that not just two, even four tickets could be given to a family if the candidates could win elections.

"If people from a family are capable of winning, then not just two, even four tickets can be given," Randhawa said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

They were in Khanna to back Congress leader Gurkirat Singh Kotli.

The comments have once again brought the issue of factionalism within the state unit into the spotlight.

Warring has been pushing for reforms in ticket distribution and has publicly spoken against giving multiple tickets in the same family -- a position that has triggered resistance from some senior leaders.

The Khanna rally also stood out because Channi and Randhawa appeared together in a show of unity, while Warring remained absent from the event. Their joint appearance and Randhawa's sharp remarks have intensified speculation about differences within the Punjab Congress leadership.