The Congress party has appointed Jalandhar Cantonment MLA and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). He replaces Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who resigned from the post earlier on Friday. The appointment takes effect immediately.
The leadership change came after Warring met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and formally submitted his resignation as Punjab Congress chief. Warring had been heading the state unit since April 2022.
After his resignation, Warring said he had received the impression that Congress general secretary and Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot wanted him removed from the post. However, Warring himself acknowledged that he did not have concrete proof to support the claim.
Pargat Singh, a former captain of the Indian hockey team, has represented Jalandhar Cantonment in the Punjab Assembly since 2012. He has also served as Punjab’s education and sports minister. Singh is a Padma Shri and Arjuna Award recipient.
His appointment comes ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The change in leadership follows months of differences within the state Congress unit and comes as the party prepares for the upcoming electoral contest.
The Congress leadership has retained the existing working presidents and chairpersons and co-chairpersons of various election-related committees in Punjab, according to the appointment announcement.
Pargat Singh will now lead the Punjab Congress as the party prepares for the 2027 Assembly polls.