Charanjit Channi, Raja Warring Share Stage After 3 Months, Handshake Signals Thaw

They gathered for a march, but their coming together was more notable than the protest itself, as the Congress leadership in Punjab showed some unity in Chandigarh on Tuesday for a demonstration against the AAP government. The party's new central in-charge Sachin Pilot led the protest, where former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring shared a stage for the first time in nearly three months.

It was Sachin Pilot's first visit to Chandigarh since taking charge of the state unit in place of Bhupesh Baghel, who was locally seen as not being objective enough when sent to manage the crisis.

The show of unity came during the march to Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema's house over the suicide of Gulzar Singh, a resident of Cheema's assembly segment Dirba in Sangrur district, who had raised the issue of drugs and was allegedly facing harassment for it.

Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who have also been players in the factionalism, were present, too, as the leaders set out from the Punjab Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 towards Cheema's official residence.

On stage before the start, Channi was seated to Pilot's right and Warring to his left. The two were seen speaking to each other and shaking hands.

#WATCH | Chandigarh: Congress leaders, including Sachin Pilot, Raja Warring, Pratap Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and other leaders and workers, hold a protest against the state government over the death of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur.

(Source: Punjab Congress) https://t.co/OkGI2vLpU2 pic.twitter.com/ExerShuYFu

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2026

Channi and leaders in his camp had been opposing Warring's continuance as the state Congress president. Bhupesh Baghel, the former Chhattisgarh CM deployed earlier as Punjab in-charge, also faced strong opposition within the unit.

Baghel's replacement, Sachin Pilot, a former deputy CM of Rajasthan, moved to bridge the differences between the two leaders soon after taking charge.

At Tuesday's protest, when Channi's name was announced from the stage, Congress workers raised slogans in his support. Channi, however, did not mention Warring by name in his speech. Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa sought to play up the togetherness, saying, "Look, all Congressmen have gathered on the stage."

As Warring took the microphone, student wing workers raised party flags despite his repeated requests for them to sit down. Warring struck a conciliatory note, noting that Channi was present on the stage and describing Bajwa as his "respected leader".

Bajwa Says There'll Be No CM Face

Partap Bajwa also made a significant statement on the Congress's strategy for the assembly elections due in six months, saying the party would fight without projecting a chief ministerial face.

He said the Congress would seek votes in the names of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sachin Pilot. "When we get the majority, the high command will decide," Bajwa said, adding, "If the father is alive, the sons have no right."

Leaders Detained During March

The march was stopped by Chandigarh Police with barricades. As some Congress workers climbed over the barricades, police deployed water cannons, triggering a confrontation between protesters and the police.

Pilot, along with several senior Congress leaders, was detained by Chandigarh Police during the face-off. Some Congress workers and police personnel sustained injuries. The leaders were released around 3 pm, nearly an hour after being detained.

Addressing Congress workers before the march, Pilot launched a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann government, alleging that "chitta" (heroin, or synthetic chemical drugs) is being home-delivered in Punjab. He also invoked Gulzar Singh's death, saying the poor Dalit man died while naming the minister. "In Punjab's fight, I will remain at the forefront. I will take the first lathi; the workers will come later," Pilot said.

Warring turned up the heat on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, challenging him to come face-to-face with the Congress. He said he would confront and corner Mann on the issue.