Listen to this article:

Chandigarh: As Punjab Congress begins positioning itself for the 2027 assembly election, its repeated emphasis on collective leadership has reopened a difficult question: can the party fight a leader-driven election without projecting a leader?

In Punjab’s current political environment, this question cannot be treated as merely organisational or procedural. Electoral politics in the state has moved decisively from party-centred mobilisation to leader-driven consolidation. Elections are no longer fought only on ideology, cadre strength or traditional loyalty. They are increasingly shaped by recognition, relatability, public communication and the ability of a leader to embody a larger political mood.

In such a landscape, the absence of a clearly projected leader is not always strategic flexibility. It can easily become a political vacuum.

Recent Punjab elections underline this shift. In 2017, the Congress returned to power under Amarinder Singh’s projected leadership. In 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the state with Bhagwant Mann as its unmistakable face. Even the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), despite its decline, continues to revolve around Sukhbir Singh Badal. Across parties, Punjab’s politics has become strongly personality-driven.

This is the context in which Charanjit Singh Channi becomes central to the Congress’s 2027 dilemma.

The question is not whether Channi is a perfect choice. He is not. The real question is whether Congress has another leader with the same combination of public recall, social symbolism, mass connect and ability to communicate with voters. At present, that answer is not easy.

Punjab Congress has several senior leaders. Partap Singh Bajwa brings experience and legislative sharpness. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring brings energy and organisational relevance. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa carries political experience and regional weight. Each has value. Each........

© The Wire