Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 26 (ANI): AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on Monday asserted that the Congress is poised to form the next government in Punjab in February 2027, alleging that five years of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rule have pushed the border state into distress marked by rampant unemployment, a collapsed law-and-order machinery, and state patronage to the drug mafia.
Addressing reporters in Chandigarh following a series of organisational meetings with the state leadership, Venugopal expressed firm confidence that grassroots feedback indicates a decisive political shift in favour of the Congress.
“Meetings with DCC Presidents, senior leaders, contested candidates, and one-to-one meetings with leaders, MLAs, and MPs were held. We got input from all the leaders of Punjab. That is why I am very much confident now that Congress is going to form the government in Punjab in February 2027,” Venugopal said.
He further announced that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will take the political fight straight to the ruling party’s bastion with an event scheduled for November 4 in Sangrur—the political stronghold of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
“Rahul Gandhi ji will be attending a major event in Sangrur on November 4th. The Aam Aadmi Party is in power, and Sangrur is effectively their capital. The true state of affairs in Sangrur will be revealed to the entire state when Rahul Gandhi ji visits on November 4th. The entire party is now fully engaged in preparations,” Pilot said, asserting that “change is inevitable” and the Congress remains the sole political force challenging the AAP government.
Launching a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann administration, the senior Congress leader alleged that ordinary families in Punjab are living in fear due to unchecked violence and narcotics trafficking.
“We, the Congress party, believe that Punjab is one of the important states of our nation… But for the last five years, you see the situation in Punjab. Youth are distressed because of unemployment; there are no jobs at all. The youth are facing immense trouble, and all families are in distress. Every day, the families of Punjab people are living in a very, very dangerous situation because whatever they are seeing day by day cannot even be imagined,” he said.
Directly accusing the police administration of colluding with criminal syndicates, Venugopal added, “Law and order has totally collapsed. The drug mafia is everywhere, and there is complete protection for the drug mafia. The police forces, who should be interested in controlling the drug mafias and booking them, are now protecting them… There should be a stop to all these things. There should be a stop to this violence and drugs. Congress is committed to bringing peace to Punjab, and that is why we are approaching the people of Punjab.”
Echoing this stance, Congress leader and Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot detailed the organisational blueprint, saying, “We have held discussions with all our candidates, Members of Parliament, former ministers, senior leaders, and members of the Working Committee, all of whom are key leaders of the party in Punjab. In an open and candid atmosphere, we have formulated our strategy for the time ahead across the Panchayat, Block, Mandal, District, and State levels.
Projecting a display of factional unity within the state unit, Pilot shared a personal anecdote of senior leaders travelling together for a meal.
“To give you a small example of our unity: Today, we had a meal at Bajwa ji’s residence. I was driving the car, with Venugopal ji sitting in the front. It was Pargat Singh ji’s vehicle, and Raja ji and Channi ji were also with us. With Bajwa ji having hosted the meal, the entire Congress team is now fully committed, with great strength and unity, to save Punjab,” Pilot stated.
The remarks come ahead of the state assembly elections in 2027, which is set to see a high-stakes battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and the incumbent AAP.
Congress too is set to launch its poll campaign in Punjab, with the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha launching the party’s campaign on November 4. (ANI)
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