The Channi Formula Is Back. Why Doesn't Congress Want To Repeat Its 2021 Punjab Gamble Then?

Last Updated:July 17, 2026, 15:27 IST

The latest round of infighting began after the Congress announced its revamped Punjab leadership, choosing to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief

Barely a year before Punjab votes again, the Congress finds itself caught in a familiar political script.

Charanjit Singh Channi, the man who emerged as the party’s surprise choice for chief minister in 2021 after a revolt against Captain Amarinder Singh, is once again at the centre of an internal power struggle. This time, however, the Congress high command appears determined not to yield to pressure the way it did five years ago.

According to a report by The Times of India, the party believes the strategy that elevated Channi to the top post ahead of the 2022 assembly elections ultimately backfired and is keen to avoid repeating what many within the Congress now see as one of its biggest political miscalculations in Punjab.

A Familiar Revolt

The latest round of infighting began after the Congress announced its revamped Punjab leadership, choosing to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief despite expectations in some quarters that Channi could be elevated.

The decision triggered open dissent from Channi’s camp, with several senior leaders rallying behind the former chief minister. Channi himself held meetings with supporters, while slogans such as “Saara Punjab Channi De Naal" began circulating on social media in a stark reminder of the backing that preceded his elevation as chief minister in 2021.

The 2021 Playbook

The similarities are striking. In 2021, months of public sparring between then chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu pushed the party into a crisis. In an attempt to end the infighting before the assembly elections, the Congress removed Amarinder Singh and installed Channi as Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister.

The move was seen as both a political compromise and a social outreach, given that Dalits make up nearly one-third of Punjab’s population.

But the leadership change failed to restore unity. Differences within the state unit persisted, and the Congress went into the 2022 elections deeply divided.

A Failed Gamble

The electoral outcome proved disastrous.

The Congress, which had won 77 seats in 2017, was reduced to just 18 seats in the 2022 assembly election as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept to power. Channi himself lost both constituencies he contested.

According to TOI, the experience convinced the Congress leadership that changing faces under pressure did little to resolve factionalism and instead weakened the party’s organisational authority—a lesson they learned the hard way after the 2022 poll defeat.

Why Congress Isn’t Blinking This Time

Unlike in 2021, the party leadership appears unwilling to reopen the question of Punjab Congress president.

Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel has repeatedly insisted that there is no leadership crisis and has publicly ruled out any change, maintaining that the organisation must move forward collectively.

According to TOI, the high command believes conceding to pressure once again could encourage further factionalism rather than settle it. Instead, it wants both Channi and Warring to work together ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.

Why Punjab Matters

Despite its 2022 defeat, the Congress remains one of the principal opposition forces in Punjab and performed significantly better in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections than it did in the assembly polls.

That makes internal unity crucial as it attempts to challenge the ruling AAP in 2027.

However, every week spent managing internal rivalries is a week that allows its political opponents to portray the party as divided before the election campaign has even begun.

Lesson For 2027?

The rebellion may look familiar, but the Congress’s response is markedly different.

Five years ago, the party blinked and made Channi chief minister in the hope of ending a civil war within its Punjab unit. The war didn’t end, and the party paid a heavy electoral price. Now, as Channi’s supporters once again turn up the pressure, the Congress appears determined not to repeat what it increasingly views as a failed experiment, betting instead that organisational stability is a better strategy than another last-minute leadership reset.

About the Author

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is a News Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers. Foll...Read More

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