A bus, bickering Punjab Congress leaders, and Rahul Gandhi’s unity test

The Congress party in Punjab has been grappling with internal strife and infighting as it prepares for the upcoming elections next year. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Bhupesh Baghel has been tasked with overseeing the state, and he has been likened to a British colonial officer by some. Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has also been accused of being an "agent of the BJP-RSS".

In an attempt to mend fences and showcase unity, the high command has pinned its hopes on a statewide bus journey that Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi is set to embark on next month. However, skepticism remains within the party. A senior Congress leader remarked, "We are like a family WhatsApp group where everyone has muted each other."

Baghel met with Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss the party's troubles in Punjab and the proposed bus drive. He briefed them about the itinerary, which includes a 135-km stretch from Amritsar towards Hussainiwala in the first phase. The LoP will commence the journey at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, boarding what party optimists have dubbed the "unity express".

The bus yatra, which will feature all senior state leaders including Partap Singh Bajwa, Channi, and Warring, is expected to be a carefully choreographed display aimed at convincing voters and party workers that the deeply divided state unit has put its differences behind it. The 2027 elections are looming, and the Punjab Congress has found itself bickering, complete with parallel protests, debates on "one family, one ticket", and the occasional "Go back Baghel" poster.

Rahul Gandhi's warnings about unity, if heeded, could prove crucial in challenging the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).