Baghel Rules Out CM Face for Punjab 2027, Says Rahul Gandhi to Lead Campaign
Baghel's Rahul Remark Seen as Snub to Channi Camp's CM Face Demand
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, July 13, 2026 : Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel has indicated that the party will contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, effectively ruling out the projection of any state-level Chief Ministerial face ahead of the polls.
Baghel, in a post on X, reiterated that Rahul Gandhi would be the party's face for the 2027 elections, reinforcing the Congress high command's emphasis on collective leadership rather than projecting an individual Chief Ministerial candidate.
The statement is being seen in political circles as an indirect rejection of the demand from a section of Punjab Congress leaders, particularly the camp led by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, which has been advocating for declaring a Chief Ministerial face before the Assembly elections. Notably, Baghel maintained a strict silence on the Channi group's parallel demand to replace Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. His remarks signal the leadership's unwillingness to endorse any single faction's claim over the party's campaign.
The latest assertion comes amid continuing factional tensions within the Punjab Congress, where differences between the Channi camp and the leadership backing Raja Warring have remained unresolved despite several rounds of discussions.
Political observers believe Baghel's message underlines that the Congress high command intends to keep the focus on its national leadership while leaving the question of the Chief Ministerial face open until after the elections, if required.