Hockey Legend Pargat Singh Appointed Punjab Congress Chief Replacing Raja Warring Ahead Of 2027 Polls - Republic World
Chandigarh: The Congress high command, in a major organisational reset ahead of the 2027 contest, has elevated former India hockey skipper and sitting legislator from Jalandhar Cantonment, Pargat Singh, to head the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).
The order putting Pargat Singh in charge of the Punjab Congress was issued under the signature of AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. It noted that his new assignment would come into force without delay.
Alongside the announcement, the party formally placed on record the gratitude towards the outgoing state head Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who had been steering the PPCC since 2022 following the exit of Navjot Singh Sidhu from the post.
According to the communication from Delhi, there would be no churn in the rest of the state apparatus. All working presidents and the heads and co-heads of various panels linked to election preparedness will carry on in their present capacities.
The reshuffle has been timed with an eye on the next Assembly election in Punjab in 2027, which the party considers vital for the comeback attempt.
Warring himself stepped down on Friday and was quick to send his good wishes to his successor, congratulating Singh and wishing him success in his fresh responsibility as head of the Punjab Congress.
Pargat Singh's public identity has long been tied to his sporting past as captain of the national hockey side and an Olympian, but his political innings now stretches beyond 10 years. He first tried his luck in the run-up to the 2012 Punjab polls, when he fought from Jalandhar Cantt on a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ticket and emerged victorious, a seat he has held ever since without interruption.
However, his ties with the Akali Dal snapped in 2016 after the party suspended him. Shortly after, he floated onto a new platform, Awaaz-e-Punjab, alongside Navjot Singh Sidhu and a few other disgruntled leaders, which set the stage for his next move.
The move was a switch to the Congress and the party fielded him from the same Jalandhar Cantt constituency in 2017. He held on to the constituency then and then repeated the feat in 2022, maintaining an unbeaten streak there.
Recognition came in September 2021 when then Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi brought him into his Cabinet. He handled a broad set of departments, including School Education, Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and NRI Affairs, and stayed in office till March 2022.
Even outside government, the Congress MLA has kept himself in the news by flagging concerns around sports infrastructure, administrative matters, agrarian distress and wider Punjab-related questions, while his image as a former international sportsperson has continued to shape how voters perceive him.
Now, as PPCC chief, he inherited the task of knitting the organisation together, energising cadres and steering the blueprint for the 2027 fight, at a moment when the party is attempting to rebuild the base after losing power.
The Punjab decision was not an isolated one, as the Congress also recast the Uttar Pradesh team, naming Aradhana Mishra Mona as the new state president in place of Ajay Rai as it looks ahead to Assembly polls there as well.
Mona, who has been elected MLA thrice and previously led the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), will be assisted by Saharanpur MP Imran Masood as working president, with Devinder Nishad and Alok Prasad coming in as senior vice-presidents. The party has also chosen Chaudhary Virendra Singh as Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Uttar Pradesh.
Get Current Updates on India News, Entertainment News, Cricket News along with Latest News and Web Stories from India and around the world.
