Punjab Newsline | Muktsar
Ahead of Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel’s scheduled visit to Muktsar, large flex boards carrying the slogan ‘Bhupesh Baghel Go Back’ appeared across several roads in the city, triggering intense political discussion and once again bringing the party’s internal factionalism into the spotlight.
The flexes were spotted on Monday morning at multiple locations in Muktsar, where Baghel was expected to hold a meeting with district Congress leaders and party workers. According to local reports, the protest material had been installed late Sunday night and early Monday morning. After the administration and party leaders were alerted, most of the flexes were removed, although some were reportedly still visible in a few areas.
What made the controversy more striking was that Muktsar is the home district of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. Some of the posters reportedly depicted Bhupesh Baghel as General Dyer, the British officer associated with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, with the words ‘Go Back Baghel’ written beneath the image.
Raja Warring’s Channi episode adds fuel to speculation
The developments come amid growing signs of discord within the Punjab Congress. During a programme in Bathinda, Raja Warring appeared to target former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi after some supporters raised slogans in Channi’s favour.
Warring reportedly invited one of the slogan-shouting supporters onto the stage and asked him to raise slogans of ‘Channi Zindabad’ and ‘Congress Zindabad’. He then asked the supporter to call Channi and tell him that he had come to disrupt the Congress program.
As the supporter dialled Channi’s number, Warring allegedly turned on the phone’s speaker and connected it to the microphone so the audience could hear the conversation. Channi did not answer the call, after which Warring sarcastically remarked that Channi was probably busy and asked the supporter to give Channi his number so that he could call back later.
Attempt to send a message to the high command?
Political observers believe Warring was trying to demonstrate before Bhupesh Baghel and the party leadership that Channi does not respond even to calls from his own supporters. Had Channi answered the call or spoken to the supporter, the incident could have taken a different turn and might have created the impression that Channi’s camp was linked to attempts to disrupt the party program.
Internal tensions out in the open
The appearance of anti-Baghel flexes in Muktsar, combined with the public episode involving Channi supporters in Bathinda, has intensified speculation about deepening factional divisions within the Punjab Congress. With Baghel touring Muktsar and Bathinda to strengthen organisational coordination, the controversy has overshadowed the purpose of his visit and raised fresh questions about unity within the state unit of the party.
