Chandigarh: In a major announcement aimed at energising the party's youth cadre, AICC general secretary and Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said that the Congress will give 60% representation to youth in the allotment of tickets for the 2027 Punjab assembly elections.
Addressing a meeting of block and district-level Youth Congress leaders at the Punjab Congress Bhawan, Baghel called on the young workers to rise above local factionalism and work unitedly for the party's victory. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also joined Baghel at the event, while Punjab Youth Congress president Mohit Mohindra presented a performance chart of the organisation to the senior leaders.
Encouraging the youth cadre to take initiative, Baghel said, "The Congress is the only party driven by the values of the Constitution, and the Youth Congress has a critical role to play in Punjab. You must reach out to the people and spread Rahul Gandhi's vision." He stressed that only sincere and committed youth leaders would be promoted in the party, while those not taking their responsibilities seriously would be sidelined. He also directed the PYC president to form five-member booth-level panels with special emphasis on the inclusion of women and Dalit youth volunteers.
Warring echoed Baghel's sentiment, calling the Youth Congress the "backbone of the party". He urged the young leaders to shun groupism, unite under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, and focus on strengthening the Congress across Punjab. He said the 2027 assembly polls would be a litmus test for the youth wing.
Meanwhile, PYC president Mohit Mohindra assured the leadership that the youth Congress built a strong grassroots network in Punjab. "We have a solid team of ground-level workers, and we've implemented every programme of the Indian Youth Congress with full dedication," he said, expressing pride in his team's performance at both the block and district levels.
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No leader above party: Baghel warns against indiscipline
Congress general secretary and AICC in-charge for Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, on Friday asserted that indiscipline within the party will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Addressing a press conference at Punjab Congress Bhawan alongside PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Baghel emphasised that no leader is above the party and made it clear that action will be taken against anyone who harms party interests. The former Chhattisgarh chief minister revealed that several senior leaders from other political parties are in touch with the Congress and have shown interest in joining. During his two-day visit to Punjab, Baghel said he met with a cross-section of party leadership, including district and block presidents. He added that the AICC already outlined an agenda to strengthen the party from the grassroots to the top, and in Punjab, this process already began with meetings and programmes at the district, block, and booth levels. Regarding the Ludhiana West assembly byelection, Baghel said the party will devise a comprehensive strategy and form committees to ensure a strong contest. On preparations for the 2027 assembly elections, he said groundwork already started, as reflected in the series of meetings held over the past two days with party leaders and frontal organisations. Apart from organisational matters, he noted, discussions also focused on the ideological battle the Congress is set to lead. Expressing concerns about potential voter list manipulations, Baghel warned that Punjab is not immune to such practices. "If lakhs of suspicious votes can be added in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi, it can happen in Punjab too," he said. To counter this, DCC and block presidents, along with booth-level workers, have been instructed to remain vigilant.
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