Chandigarh, Aug 2 — Supporters of former Punjab Chief Minister and sitting MP Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday raised slogans in support of him, sending a strong message to the Congress high command on the second consecutive day, at the party meeting in Barnala town where party's General Secretary In-Charge, Bhupesh Baghel, was also present.
Besides Baghel, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was there to meet party workers and office-bearers as part of an outreach exercise aimed at strengthening the party at the grassroots.
At the district-level meeting, the Channi loyalists raised slogans like "Charanjit Singh Channi Zindabad" and "Punjab Bachao, Channi Lao".
The slogan basically means, "Save Punjab by bringing back Channi as the state head ahead of the Assembly elections".
Channi along with 90-odd leaders, comprising the members of Parliament and legislators, gave an ultimatum to the Congress' Central leadership last month that under Warring's leadership the Congress cannot come to power.
The former Chief Minister's supporters have been demanding the replacement of the state unit chief by citing specific instances on how Warring had created divisions within the party leadership.
Responding to the disruption at the party meeting for the second day, former Minister Razia Sultana said some people were deliberately trying to spoil the atmosphere within the party and demanded strict action against them.
"There are some people who want to vitiate the party's atmosphere. Those responsible should be expelled from the party. We will not allow any leader to disturb the organisation," a confidant Sultana said, adding the Congress is united and would return to power in Punjab in 2027.
Responding to the sloganeering, Warring appealed to party workers to remain calm and maintain discipline.
He said that every party worker has the right to express his views but stressed that organisational discipline is equally important.
On Saturday, there was an embarrassment for AICC General Secretary Baghel as supporters of Channi raised slogans in his favour in Patiala where Warring was conducting proceedings.
After Patiala, Channi and Warring supporters clashed in Sangrur town in presence of Baghel, who has already clarified that the Chief Minister and other Ministers, if the Congress gets mandate in the elections, will be chosen by the party high command, including President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
Bhupesh Baghel has said the duty of the Congress leaders and workers is to ensure the victory of the party as Punjab "needs to be saved from the misrule of the Aam Aadmi Party government".