1 October 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has resigned as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), with the leadership change coming months before the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Congress sources said the party is expected to announce his successor shortly.
Warring, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana, had taken charge as Punjab Congress president in April 2022. His resignation marks a significant change in the state party organisation as Congress begins preparations for the upcoming Assembly polls.
The decision follows renewed discussions within the Congress over the leadership of its Punjab unit. Reports said the party’s central leadership had conveyed its decision to replace Warring, following organisational feedback gathered by newly appointed Punjab affairs in-charge Sachin Pilot.
According to reports, Pilot held discussions with senior party leaders and office-bearers after taking charge as Punjab affairs in-charge in September. The consultations were part of an assessment of the state organisation ahead of the Assembly elections.
The leadership issue had remained a subject of discussion within Punjab Congress for several months. In July, the party high command had decided to retain Warring as state president despite speculation over a possible change. At that time, Congress leaders were publicly discussing the need to strengthen the organisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Subsequently, differences over the state leadership continued to receive attention. In July, Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya publicly sought Warring’s resignation, while other Congress leaders had also raised concerns about the functioning of the state unit.
Warring had earlier maintained that the Punjab Congress was united and focused on the upcoming Assembly elections. In June, he publicly expressed confidence in the party’s organisation and said Congress was preparing for the electoral contest.
The latest leadership change means Congress will now have to select a new president for its Punjab unit. Several names have been reported as being under consideration, including former minister Vijay Inder Singla, Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
The final decision on Warring’s successor is expected from the Congress high command. Reports indicate that the party could announce the new state president within 24 to 48 hours.
The change comes with the Punjab Assembly election approaching in 2027. The new state president will be responsible for overseeing the party’s organisational activities, coordinating with senior leaders and preparing the state unit for the electoral process.
Punjab Congress has experienced leadership discussions and internal disagreements over the past several months. The party had attempted to address these issues by retaining Warring while also involving other senior leaders in election-related responsibilities. However, the leadership question resurfaced ahead of the latest organisational review.
The Congress leadership’s decision also comes after Sachin Pilot replaced Bhupesh Baghel as the party’s Punjab affairs in-charge. Pilot’s consultations with leaders and workers have been cited by party sources as part of the process that preceded the decision to change the PPCC leadership.
The identity of the next Punjab Congress president will be closely watched because the state unit is entering an important election preparation period. The new leadership will inherit the responsibility of managing the party’s organisation across Punjab while coordinating its campaign and electoral strategy.
For Warring, the resignation ends his tenure as Punjab Congress president that began in 2022. He continues to serve as the Lok Sabha representative from Ludhiana.
Congress has yet to formally announce the successor in the reports available as of October 1, 2026. The developments remain subject to further announcements from the party high command.