As the political landscape in Punjab undergoes significant shifts, the Congress party is grappling with internal dissent, bringing to light the challenges it faces in uniting its leadership under a common strategy. The context of a growing pan-India opposition bloc – INDIA, coupled with ongoing discussions about seat-sharing arrangements, has intensified the divisions within the Punjab Congress.

With no lessons learned from past mistakes, the Congress party’s internal dynamics have once again come under scrutiny, with senior leaders expressing contrasting views on crucial matters, particularly the prospect of collaborating with the ruling AAP in Punjab, where Congress is the principal opposition party.

As discussions about seat sharing and alliance-building gain momentum, the three-time Member of Parliament and former Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has emerged as a vocal supporter of an alliance with AAP.

Sidhu, who recently re-entered active politics after his return from jail and fulfilling his family obligations, has been at the forefront of this ideological shift within the party. His rally on Sunday in Bathinda, a stronghold of political activities in Punjab, marked his return and sparked speculations about his future role within the Congress.

On the contrary, this support for AAP within the Congress ranks has been met with strong opposition from key leaders in the state, led by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Partap Singh Bajwa — to mention a few.

What were the murmurs of dissent, till now, have started reverberating in a joint voice of disapproval following Sidhu’s firm and open support to ally with the ruling AAP for 2024 general elections. Senior leaders, during a party rally at Ludhiana’s Jagraon a day before, minced no words to challenge the party high command while openly expressing their reservations about aligning with the ruling party in Punjab.

They warned of a potential “mass rebellion” within the party if an alliance with AAP materializes.

Propagating the same sentiments on Friday during the Congress’ dharna in Kapurthala, Warring led a protest to voice the party’s dissent over AAP Government’s 22-month tenure.

The Congress leaders highlighted a deteriorating law and order situation, unaddressed unemployment concerns, and unfulfilled promises, accusing AAP of collaborating with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bring about adverse changes in the state. The protest served as a platform for senior leaders to openly criticize the current governance.

Simultaneously, a war of words erupted on social media and public statements, revealing the underlying tensions within the Congress. The war started after Bajwa accused Sidhu of holding “individual rallies” and creating a parallel forum within the party.

Bajwa’s allegations included blaming Sidhu for the Congress's electoral setbacks in 2022, claiming that he was unable to “digest” the attention and admiration bestowed upon him by the people of Punjab.

As the internal discord intensified, both factions within the Congress began accusing one another of indulging in indiscipline. While a section of party leaders questioned Sidhu's unilateral approach and alleged that his “parallel forums” amounted to a breach of party discipline, former cricketer’s supporters criticized attempts to going against party high command’s decision of allying with AAP besides discouraging the party workers from supporting their leader, viewing it as an act of indiscipline.

Things came out in open when a section of sitting and former MLAs urged the party high command to oust Sidhu from the party, citing indiscipline as a primary reason. Sidhu and his supporters countered by emphasizing the need for unity within the party, accusing rival faction of spreading misinformation and engaging in actions detrimental to the party discipline.

Maintaining a strategic silence, Sidhu has been responding to the accusations by his ‘rivals within the party’ by sharing the social media posts of his supporters and close aides. He shared one such post by his supporter and Congress spokesperson Gautam Seth on X, in which he accused the state party leadership of following a set of strategies aimed at suppressing any association with Sidhu which amounts to indiscipline.

The internal dissent within the Congress party in Punjab has raised concerns about the party's ability to present a united front. With discussions about potential alliances and the INDIA opposition bloc gaining prominence, the party faces a challenging task in reconciling differences and presenting a cohesive strategy to address the evolving political dynamics in the state.