India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Captain Amarinder Singh, a former Congress veteran and two-time Punjab chief minister, left the party in 2021 following a prolonged feud with its top leadership. He later formed the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), but the party failed to win a single seat in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. Singh subsequently merged the PLC with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Now, with the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, fresh speculation has emerged over whether the veteran leader could return to the Congress fold.
Veteran leader Captain Amarinder Singh, former Punjab CM, left Congress in 2021, joined BJP, and now faces speculation about returning after Rahul Gandhi’s positive remarks, though Singh remains committed to BJP.
The buzz gained momentum after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi named Singh as his favourite politician from the BJP. Responding to Gandhi’s remarks, Singh said his relationship with Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, would always remain intact, even though he continued to remain committed to the BJP.
“Captain Amarinder Singh, definitely. I get along with him, he’s cool and he is an expert on military history, so I like him quite a lot. Hello, Uncle Amarinder,” Gandhi said in a video shared on his social media accounts after being asked to name his favourite BJP politician during a question-and-answer session.
Singh was once among Congress’ most prominent leaders in Punjab. He led the party to victory in the 2017 Assembly elections and became chief minister for a second time. However, he resigned from the post and quit Congress in 2021 amid an internal dispute with the party leadership.
Will Amarinder Singh’s Return Help Congress?
Gandhi’s warm remarks have once again triggered speculation about Singh’s possible return to Congress. However, questions remain over whether his comeback would strengthen the party or add to its existing internal divisions.
The Punjab Congress is already dealing with factionalism, including differences between former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
There is also no clarity on what role Singh could be offered if he were to return. Some party leaders believe his comeback could further complicate the factional equations, while others feel that his political experience could prove valuable ahead of the 2027 polls.
Congress leader Rana Gurjit Singh, when asked by news agency PTI whether he wanted Singh to return to the party, said, “I don’t wish anything.”
“Had he stayed he would have been like a father figure where everyone would have consulted him on various issues,” he added.
The Punjab Assembly elections are scheduled to be held early next year, along with polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered a major victory, winning 92 seats. Congress finished with 18 seats.
