Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday appointed Pargat Singh as the party's new Punjab chief.
This comes a day after Amrinder Singh Raja Warring resigned from the post ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
The recent appointment of Sachin Pilot as Punjab in-charge in place of Bhupesh Baghel had raised speculations that Warring would be replaced by a new face. There have been constant objections towards Warring continuing as the state party chief from the camp of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi.
Among the frontrunners to the post were Channi, former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former MLA Rana KP Singh and Raja Sansi MLA Sukhbir Singh Sarkaria.
However, the party high command decided to go ahead with Pargat Singh, who has been Jalandhar Cantonment MLA since 2017. He is viewed as someone who could bring everyone in the party together amid infighting within the state unit.
Who is Pargat Singh?
Pargat Singh previously served as Punjab Minister for Education, Sports and NRI Affairs. Before taking the political plunge, he served as a Superintendent of Police with the Punjab Police.
During his hockey career, Pargat Singh played as a full-back, often considered among the best defenders of his era. He was the captain of the Indian men's hockey team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In 1989, he won the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian sports.
It remains to be seen how various factions, including those backing Channi and Warring, respond to the appointment of the new state party chief.
