Factionalism within the Punjab Congress resurfaced on Wednesday during a party gathering in Faridkot held as part of the ‘Har Booth, Congress Mazboot’ campaign. The event aimed to mobilise workers for the 2027 Assembly election, but the absence of key regional leaders cast a shadow over the proceedings.All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, along with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, addressed the gathering. Both leaders urged workers to strengthen the organisational structure at the grassroots level.However, in a sign of deep-rooted internal strife, none of the three candidates who contested the 2022 Assembly election on the Congress tickets from the district attended the event. Former Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Singh ‘Kikki’ Dhillon, a close aide of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with Darshan Pal Singh Dhilwan from Jaito and Ajaipal Singh Sandhu from Kotkapura, skipped the rally along with their supporters.Clarifying his stance, Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon said none of the three leaders had been invited to the function, a claim he said could be verified. Taking a dig at the state leadership, Dhillon remarked that PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring should be mindful of his language, warning that it could harm the party.When asked about their absence, Warring downplayed the rift. “They might have been busy with some urgent work. Only they can provide the exact reason,” he said. He added that every Congress worker in Punjab was preparing for the elections with full strength, and expressed readiness to contest from anywhere the party directed, even if it meant taking on Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directly.Addressing party workers, Bhupesh Baghel stressed the need for unity ahead of the next electoral battle.“To fight a big battle, we have to present a united front and set aside our internal differences,” Baghel said. “The party high command has given clear directions that this election in Punjab cannot be fought on the basis of an individual’s identity. The party must win, not an individual.”He further said, “All party workers and leaders are in high spirits this time. We lost the last election for some reasons, but we are more united now. In the last four years, people in Punjab have become more realistic. In the forthcoming election, the Congress will emerge victorious with a thumping majority as people are disillusioned with the current AAP government.”Warring announced that the party would strictly implement the Udaipur Declaration on ticket distribution. He said 50 per cent of tickets in the upcoming elections would be given to youth and fresh faces, while the remaining 50 per cent would go to experienced leaders. He assured that he would strongly advocate this formula before senior leader Rahul Gandhi.Warring also said party power would no longer remain centralised with the top leadership but would be devolved to grassroots leaders.Launching a sharp attack on former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Warring accused him of weakening the party in the state. He said under Captain’s leadership, the Congress’s strength dropped from 80 MLAs in 2017 to just 18 in 2022. In the crucial Malwa region, the party was reduced from 69 seats to only 3. He was equally critical of former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar, claiming his actions had significantly weakened the party’s base over the years.