Rahul Gandhi to Visit Amritsar Amid Efforts to End Factionalism in Punjab Congress

CHANDIGARH: Amid efforts to end the factionalism in the Punjab Congress ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Amritsar by this month-end. The reason behind the visit is the internal power struggles and fissures between the state leadership and the recent clashes between supporters of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, besides AICC General Secretary and Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel's visit to the State leaving behing no breakthrough. Party sources said that the schedule of Rahul Gandhi’s visit is being worked out as the State unit leaders are planning to hold a 'unity bus yatra' during his visit, as he is expected to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and other religious places in Amritsar. The visit of Rahul coincides with final efforts by the party high command to end infighting in the state Congress. Sources added that it is expected that during his visit, Rahul will give a message of unity to the state leadership, as the high command has already said the dissenting leaders that it will not act under pressure and will take a decision that is in sync with the ground reality. Thus, a few important decisions to achieve unity are expected in the coming days. On August 12, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa met Rahul Gandhi outside Parliament House in Delhi in the presence of Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and discussed the situation in the state unit ahead of the assembly elections.