All India Congress Committee joint treasurer and former Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur Vijay Inder Singla is emerging as the frontrunner to replace Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who is expected to be changed soon.The Tribune has learnt that Singla was earlier also the favourite to replace Warring but the move was put on hold as the Punjab BJP appointed Kewal Singh Dhillon as the state president.The party decided to recalibrate its strategy and think deeply on whom to place at the helm ahead of a tough 2027 Assembly election.Although for a while it seemed the Punjab Congress chief’s position would stay untouched, the appointment of Sachin Pilot as the Congress general secretary in charge after replacing Bhupesh Baghel placed the focus afresh on the state leadership.Pilot, in a recent Tribune exclusive interview, did not rule out the change of guard in the Punjab Congress.Insiders said bringing a Hindu face as the leader will placate the many Jat Sikh aspirants to the post of chief minister.”A Hindu being appointed as the state Congress chief would mean the position of the CM is open for any Sikh leader in a positive post- election scenario,” said a source.Also, the Congress may follow the Kerala strategy in Punjab by giving the reins of the state to state leaders and asking Lok Sabha MPs to drive the campaign from behind.Punjab Lok Sabha MPs, like Kerala Lok Sabha MPs, including KC Venugopal, are unlikely to be asked to contest assembly polls because the party cannot afford to lose even a single Lok Sabha seat.Warring, Charanjit Channi, Sukhjinder Randhawa and Gurjeet Aujla, other aspirants for the top job in Punjab, are all sitting Lok Sabha MPs.Singla is not an MP and is a former state minister.The announcement could be made any time now, say insiders.Singla is a Member of the Congress Working Committee, a Joint Treasurer, AICC, and in-charge of all assets and properties of AICC.He is a close confidante of Rahul Gandhi and is a former Minister Education, PWD and IT in Punjab and a former MP from Sangrur.