Pilot’s report, filed on September 5, outlined deep factional rifts in Punjab that the party’s central leadership deemed untenable. The document detailed grievances from every faction and highlighted how the party’s unity was eroding.
Pilot, appointed Punjab in‑charge on September 5 after Bhupesh Baghel’s transfer, met all state leaders and collected grievances from each faction. Senior party source said he toured the state, speaking with grassroots workers, local party workers, and community leaders.
The high command, which had earlier announced that Warring would continue as president, reversed course after the report. Vijay Inder Singla is seen as the frontrunner, a Hindu from the Aggarwal‑Bania community who represents urban voters in Malwa, while Jalandhar MLA Pargat Singh and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also weigh in.
Insiders say the infighting had already cost the Congress in recent polls, forcing the leadership to act swiftly ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. The party’s internal strife was visible in public rallies and media interviews, causing disunity among its core base.
In Ludhiana, a local farmer who had campaigned for Warring expressed disappointment over the sudden change, saying he feared the party would lose its grassroots momentum.
According to NDTV, a new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president will be named within 48 hours, and the party leadership is expected to announce the appointment in a press conference tomorrow.