The Congress on Friday appointed former India hockey captain Pargat Singh as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Amarinder Singh Raja Warring with immediate effect. The notification was issued by AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal.

Warring submitted his resignation to Rahul Gandhi on Friday, ending his tenure as state unit chief that began in April 2022 after Navjot Singh Sidhu. The Ludhiana MP said he stepped down voluntarily to avoid further internal damage.

“Channi Sahib has won,” Warring told reporters, referring to former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi. He said AICC in-charge Sachin Pilot had signalled that a change was desired, though no one explicitly asked him to quit.

Pargat Singh, the Jalandhar Cantonment MLA, thanked the party leadership and said he would work with dedication to strengthen the Congress in Punjab. The change comes as parties begin preparing for the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, where a united Congress hopes to challenge the incumbent government.