New Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh seeks blessings at the Golden Temple. (Img: X)
Amritsar: New Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh and party in-charge Sachin Pilot visited the Golden Temple here on Thursday, projecting unity as the Congress prepares for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The show of strength, however, came with several prominent Punjab leaders absent as they joined Rahul Gandhi’s protest in Delhi.
The visit to Sri Harmandir Sahib marked Pargat Singh’s first major public programme after taking charge as Punjab Congress president. Accompanied by senior party leaders, sitting and former MLAs, former ministers and workers from across the state, Singh and Pilot paid obeisance and sought blessings for the party’s political journey ahead.
The Golden Temple visit was more than a traditional religious programme for the state Congress. With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the party used the occasion to project a united organisation and signal that its new leadership wants to bring different sections of the Punjab Congress together.
A large gathering of Congress workers welcomed Pargat Singh and Sachin Pilot at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar. Workers raised slogans and greeted the leaders with dhol beats before the delegation headed towards the Golden Temple.
The presence of senior leaders and party workers from different constituencies was aimed at showcasing organisational strength at a time when the Congress is looking to rebuild its electoral position in Punjab.
Pargat Singh, who has recently taken charge as Punjab Congress president, used the visit to underline the message of collective leadership. The new state chief indicated that the Punjab Congress has several capable leaders and that there is space for everyone to contribute to the party. The message is significant as the Congress prepares for a long electoral campaign leading up to the 2027 Assembly polls.
The party will have to balance its different leadership groups, strengthen its grassroots organisation and present a coordinated political strategy if it wants to mount a serious challenge in the next Punjab election.
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Despite the strong turnout, some of the Congress party’s prominent Punjab faces were missing from the Amritsar programme. Former Punjab Congress president and MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi were among those absent. The leaders were in Delhi participating in a protest led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Their absence created an interesting contrast on a day when the Punjab Congress was attempting to project unity. While the Amritsar event brought together a large section of the state organisation, several high-profile leaders were simultaneously involved in the Opposition’s political mobilisation in the national capital.
Sachin Pilot, who is in charge of Congress affairs in Punjab, highlighted drugs and corruption as major challenges facing the state. Pilot also expressed hope that the coming years would bring a better future for Punjab and its younger generation.
The focus on drugs is politically significant in Punjab, where drug abuse has remained a major electoral and social issue. For the Congress, tackling the problem is likely to remain an important part of its political messaging ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Corruption, governance and employment are also expected to remain key issues as political parties begin preparing for the next electoral battle.
The Golden Temple visit comes at an important stage for the Punjab Congress. The party is entering the next electoral cycle under new state leadership and will be looking to convert its organisational restructuring into electoral momentum.
The Congress faces a competitive political landscape in Punjab, where the Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party are also seeking to strengthen their positions.
For the Congress, maintaining internal cohesion could prove crucial. The party’s ability to bring senior leaders, grassroots workers and different organisational factions onto a common platform will be closely watched as the 2027 election approaches.
The Amritsar programme could be termed as both a religious visit and a political signal. The Punjab Congress wants voters to see a refreshed organisation under new leadership and believes it can present a united front in the next Assembly contest.
The party plans to intensify its grassroots outreach, sharpen its campaign on issues such as drugs, corruption and youth opportunities, and work towards building a broader electoral narrative ahead of 2027.
