Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring formally submitted his resignation on Friday, ending a four-and-a-half-year tenure that has been dogged by factional infighting in recent months. Warring, the Ludhiana MP, handed his resignation to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, saying he had been appointed by Gandhi himself and therefore owed the resignation to him.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Warring made no secret of what he believes forced him out. He said he got the impression that Sachin Pilot, recently made the AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab, wanted him removed as state president. "I think that the new general secretary thought it best to remove me," Warring said, adding that he had met Pilot only once for about fifteen minutes since he took charge, and that Pilot had visited Chandigarh just once for a couple of hours. He stressed that he had no concrete proof of his claim.
At the same time, Warring insisted that no one had expressly asked him to resign, calling it a personal decision. "No one has asked me to resign," he said. "Rahul ji showed great love and affection to me when he met me." He said he briefed Gandhi on his tenure and discussed the Congress's strengths in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, describing himself as a disciplined soldier of the party who would work wherever assigned.
The exit closes a chapter that began in April 2022, when Warring took over the Punjab unit after Navjot Singh Sidhu stepped aside following the party's Assembly defeat. The final months of his term saw open dissent from the camp of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who has campaigned for Warring's removal. In July, the high command had retained Warring while giving Channi the campaign committee charge, an arrangement that failed to settle the discord.
Pilot was appointed Punjab in-charge on September 5, replacing Bhupesh Baghel, and has since held consultations with state leaders and submitted a report on Warring's functioning and the factional situation. The party's central leadership has not yet made a formal announcement about the resignation or a successor.
Sources: The Indian Express — Punjab Congress chief Warring steps down, hints at Sachin Pilot role · NDTV — 'Channi Saheb Won': Raja Warring Meets Rahul Gandhi After Exit As Punjab Congress Chief
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Warring made no secret of what he believes forced him out. He said he got the impression that Sachin Pilot, recently made the AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab, wanted him removed as state president. "I think that the new general secretary thought it best to remove me," Warring said, adding that he had met Pilot only once for about fifteen minutes since he took charge, and that Pilot had visited Chandigarh just once for a couple of hours. He stressed that he had no concrete proof of his claim.
At the same time, Warring insisted that no one had expressly asked him to resign, calling it a personal decision. "No one has asked me to resign," he said. "Rahul ji showed great love and affection to me when he met me." He said he briefed Gandhi on his tenure and discussed the Congress's strengths in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, describing himself as a disciplined soldier of the party who would work wherever assigned.
The exit closes a chapter that began in April 2022, when Warring took over the Punjab unit after Navjot Singh Sidhu stepped aside following the party's Assembly defeat. The final months of his term saw open dissent from the camp of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who has campaigned for Warring's removal. In July, the high command had retained Warring while giving Channi the campaign committee charge, an arrangement that failed to settle the discord.
Pilot was appointed Punjab in-charge on September 5, replacing Bhupesh Baghel, and has since held consultations with state leaders and submitted a report on Warring's functioning and the factional situation. The party's central leadership has not yet made a formal announcement about the resignation or a successor.
Sources: The Indian Express — Punjab Congress chief Warring steps down, hints at Sachin Pilot role · NDTV — 'Channi Saheb Won': Raja Warring Meets Rahul Gandhi After Exit As Punjab Congress Chief
