K.C. Venugopal, AICC General Secretary. File
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
The Congress high command on Thursday (January 22, 2026) warned its Punjab leaders against making public statements about the party’s internal matters, and resorting to factionalism.
Party general secretary in-charge of organisation K.C. Venugopal said these directions had been issued after three hour-long meetings of Punjab leaders with the party’s top brass, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
“The party has given clear directions to all leaders to refrain from making public statements,” Mr. Venugopal said, adding, “Every individual has their own views, but these should be discussed only with the party leadership or on party forums. Going to the media and spreading issues on social media — such activities will not be tolerated by the party.”
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The announcement comes barely days after Scheduled Caste (SC) leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made a public statement that the party’s top posts in the State, including that of the Pradesh Congress Committee chief and the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, were being occupied by forward caste leaders.
Mr. Channi’s remarks came on January 17, while speaking during a meeting of the Congress’s SC wing in Chandigarh. “In Punjab, if you accept that there is a population of 35-38% [of SCs], which is there, then why are we not getting representation?” he had said.
“Punjab [Congress] president is from upper caste, CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader is from upper caste, women wing of Punjab Congress from upper caste, Punjab [Congress] general secretary from upper caste. Where do we go? Where will these people go?” Mr. Channi had also said.
Mr. Venugopal said that the party’s top brass had ascertained the views of every leader on the party’s performance in Punjab.
“There is no question of any leadership change in Punjab,” Mr. Venugopal said, while replying to a question.
Responding to a question on reports that around 30 leaders from Punjab had sought an appointment with the party high command, Mr. Venugopal said there was nothing wrong with leaders meeting the party leadership in their individual capacities.
However, “groupism would not be tolerated at any cost”, he said categorically. Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi would be visiting Punjab for programmes, where leaders could meet them, Mr. Venugopal said.
On representation for SCs, the Congress general secretary said the party was committed to providing due representation to marginalised sections, including SCs, Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) from the general category across the country.
“The Congress party is one. We are together and we will remain together. Everybody is one. The Congress will fight the Punjab elections unitedly and we will win with the support of the people of Punjab, aaram se (easily),” Mr. Venugopal said.
The meeting was attended by Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel, senior leader Ambika Soni, and others.
From Punjab, the meeting was attended by Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, Mr. Channi, Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Vijay Inder Singla, Rana K.P. Singh, and Amar Singh.
Published – January 22, 2026 10:08 pm IST
