Bhagwant Mann, the sitting Chief Minister, hailed Pargat Singh—an Olympic hockey legend—upon his appointment as Punjab Congress president, a role Singh took over after Amarinder Singh Raja Warring stepped down.
Mann delivered the message in the assembly, likening the party’s future to a hockey match: "Without a pass, no goal can be scored," he said, urging Singh’s team members to collaborate if the Congress is to move forward.
The move comes amid a season of factional wrangling, with rival camps vying for influence ahead of the 2027 state polls. Singh’s elevation preserves the Jat Sikh balance that has long dominated the party’s leadership structure.
Locals in Ludhiana’s Kharar ward, where Singh’s new office sits, say the announcement has lifted spirits—"we’re hopeful that a fresh leadership will bring unity," one resident told reporters.
The Congress will convene a leadership review next week to align its state machinery, a step Mann hopes will quell internal rifts and present a united front to voters.