‘Raja ki chutti karni chahiye’: Amarinder Warring submits resignation after meeting Rahul Gandhi, blames Sachin Pilot | India News
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday formally resigned as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, handing over his resignation to Rahul Gandhi amid reports of a leadership change ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.Warring, who headed the state Congress for around four-and-a-half years, indicated that party’s Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot may have played a role in the decision to replace him, though he said he had no concrete evidence to support his claim.“Given my long journey in politics, I feel that Sachin Pilot must have decided it was time to remove ‘Raja’ from the post. I don’t have concrete proof of this, but perhaps the General Secretary felt that Raja should be removed… Otherwise, there is no specific issue… I have conveyed what I had to say to Rahul Gandhi. There is no one left after Rahul Gandhi to whom I could explain what should or shouldn’t happen…” Warring told ANI.READ ALSO: Gujarat UCC Bill gets President Murmu’s nod paving way for implementationEarlier in the day, Warring met Rahul Gandhi and formally submitted his resignation. He said the Congress leader showed him affection and sought his views on the political situation in Punjab, the state government and the party’s future strategy.“I met Rahul Gandhi and formally gave him my resignation,” Warring told reporters after the meeting.“He (Rahul Gandhi) gave me a lot of love. He sought information about the current political situation in Punjab, on what is happening with the government and what we should be doing there. This was the information he sought,” he said.Warring said he discussed the party’s challenges and strengths in Punjab and assured Gandhi that he remained available to serve the organisation.“I discussed with him our challenges and how we have to fight those challenges and where our strengths lie.“He made me the state Congress chief, and I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to lead the state Congress in difficult circumstances. I assured him that I am ready to serve the party whenever the party requires me,” Warring said.Reflecting on his tenure, Warring said he was satisfied with his time as state Congress president and accepted the party’s decisions.“…I met my leader, Rahul Gandhi. I answered the questions he asked about Punjab and shared my thoughts. He showed great affection. After that meeting, my wife and I came straight here to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib to offer ‘Ardas’ (prayer)… A tenure can be long or short, but it should be one that people remember. My tenure as a minister was exactly that kind—memorable—and one should be grateful for what one receives. I am satisfied that, after a 4.5-year tenure as State President, whatever happens, happens for good... Whatever the party gave, I accepted it willingly and obeyed the command…” added Warring.His resignation comes amid reports of a rift between Warring and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi over the state unit’s leadership. The Congress has been grappling with factional differences as it prepares for the 2027 assembly elections.
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The party recently replaced AICC in-charge Bhupesh Baghel with Sachin Pilot. Baghel had spent several weeks in Punjab attempting to address differences between rival factions.Former state minister Vijay Inder Singla is among the frontrunners for the post of Punjab Congress chief. Singla is also an AICC co-treasurer and oversees the party’s properties.Warring was appointed Punjab Congress chief in 2022, succeeding Navjot Singh Sidhu.
