Congress Workers Disillusioned with Leadership Built on Factional Compromises; Sangrur & Malwa Ignored: Aman Arora

Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab president Aman Arora on Monday accused the Congress high command of ignoring the sentiments of its workers while selecting the party’s new state leadership, alleging that factional compromises had left grassroots workers “disappointed and disillusioned.”

Addressing a press conference in Sangrur, Arora congratulated newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Pargat Singh, describing him as an international hockey player, Olympian, former police officer and three-time MLA. However, he questioned the circumstances surrounding his appointment and claimed that the developments reflected “internal instability” within the Congress.

Referring to former Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Arora said Warring had led the party for around four and a half years during a difficult period before being replaced. He alleged that Congress Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot took the decision during a brief visit to the state.

Arora also questioned the Congress high command over Pargat Singh’s reported inability to secure a meeting with Rahul Gandhi four days after his appointment.

He claimed that while Pargat Singh had met former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s family and senior Congress leader Ambika Soni as a courtesy, he was yet to meet the central leadership. Arora said this raised questions about the Congress high command’s approach towards Punjab.

The AAP leader also said the decision to overlook former Punjab minister Vijay Inder Singla had disappointed people in Sangrur and the wider Malwa region. He claimed Singla’s name had been discussed for the post and that people had expected representation from the region.

Arora alleged that the Congress had arrived at a temporary compromise between factions rather than providing a clear political direction. He cited social media posts involving the son of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and reports about Raja Warring travelling to London with his family as signs of the party’s internal differences becoming public.

On the issue of drugs and recent drug-related incidents and suicides, Arora said the Bhagwant Mann government was committed to combating the drug menace but stressed that the government and police could not succeed without public participation.

He said around 15,000 Village Defence Committees and Ward Defence Committees were working at the grassroots level across Punjab. According to Arora, sarpanches and committee members were helping police by sharing information about drug-related activities in their areas.

He acknowledged that people involved in the anti-drug campaign could face resistance and threats and called for greater support and encouragement for sarpanches and committee members.

Arora appealed to people across Punjab to cooperate with the police and local defence committees in the campaign against drugs, saying that collective participation was essential to making the state drug-free.