Charanjit Singh Channi's absence from Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha address for a Faridkot rally on a pharmacy recruitment scam has intensified speculation about internal Punjab Congress rifts. The rally was reportedly organized by a supporter of Channi's campaign against state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. This comes amidst reports of a meeting where Channi and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa urged Warring to step down due to declining popularity, a proposal Warring allegedly rejected, potentially impacting upcoming election campaigns.

Charanjit Singh Channi's absence from Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha address for a Faridkot rally on a pharmacy recruitment scam has intensified speculation about internal Punjab Congress rifts. The rally was reportedly organized by a supporter of Channi's campaign against state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. This comes amidst reports of a meeting where Channi and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa urged Warring to step down due to declining popularity, a proposal Warring allegedly rejected, potentially impacting upcoming election campaigns.

Charanjit Singh Channi's absence from Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha address for a Faridkot rally on a pharmacy recruitment scam has intensified speculation about internal Punjab Congress rifts. The rally was reportedly organized by a supporter of Channi's campaign against state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. This comes amidst reports of a meeting where Channi and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa urged Warring to step down due to declining popularity, a proposal Warring allegedly rejected, potentially impacting upcoming election campaigns.

Hinting that the factional feud within the Punjab Congress could be escalating, former Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi was conspicuously absent during the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

While Gandhi was attacking the BJP government in Parliament over the police action against students at Jantar Mantar, Channi was busy with a rally in Faridkot. Punjab has seven Congress MPs, of whom Channi was the only one who skipped the session.

Though the Congress did not issue a whip, the Indian Express report claimed that all MPs were asked to be present via WhatsApp message.

Channi was leading a sit-in outside Baba Farid University in   Faridkot. The protest was related to controversy surrounding the pharmacy officer recruitment exam, in which the Punjab Police claimed to have busted an interstate cheating ring. Interestingly, the protest was reportedly organised by former Congress MLA Kushaldeep Singh "Kikki" Dhillon, who is supporting Channi in his campaign to oust Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.

However, a leader close to Channi told the Indian Express that the leader’s absence in Parliament during Rahul Gandhi's speech should not be given much importance. "This programme was pre-planned. The issue of the pharmacy recruitment exam paper leak is also very important, and Congress should maintain a consistently aggressive stance against the Aam Aadmi Party government on this issue. Raja Warring did not organise any major protests in Punjab. Instead of sitting idle in the Lok Sabha, he should come to Punjab and lead a movement like Channi," the unnamed leader said.

This comes just days after a report appeared in local media that a secret meeting was held between PPCC President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Channi and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in Delhi on Tuesday night. The meeting, allegedly held at Randhawa's residence in Delhi, is said to have been arranged by the owner of a media agency who has been working with party leaders. Party sources told local media that the discussion between the three leaders was along the lines of asking Warring to resign from the post. Channi and Randhawa allegedly argued with Warring that his popularity graph had plummeted and it would be good for him and the party if he stepped down. However, Warring refused.

Speculations are that though Warring had offered to resign, he put forth a condition that he wouldn’t campaign for the party in the upcoming Assembly elections. Channi has also offered to resign as the chairman of the election campaign committee if Warring is not removed.

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