Former Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh was today appointed the new president of the state Congress hours after Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring put in his papers after meeting Rahul Gandhi.A Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee, Pargat is a former captain of the Indian hockey team.A three-time MLA from Jalandhar Cantt and former Education and Sports Minister, Punjab, Pargat (61) is learnt to have been strongly backed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.The Congress, which, sources said, mulled appointing Hindu face Vijay Inder Singla as the state chief, ultimately settled for a Jat Sikh face to replace Warring, also from the community. The party also settled for a state leader to steer the Punjab unit instead of a Lok Sabha MP.Insiders said the decision was taken considering ground realities wherein current state politics is revolving around the politically influential Jat Sikh community, with the BJP also appointing Kewal Dhillon from the community as the state president and AAP defending its term under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, also from the segment.Pargat faces the task of taking along a largely fractious Punjab Congress unit where several leaders are harbouring chief ministerial ambitions.His appointment appears to be both a tactical move and ideological shift by the Congress high command ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.His elevation is significant given his unique political journey — from an international hockey player to a police officer and later a politician.He joined the Congress in December 2016, shortly before the 2017 Assembly elections, along with former cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.Sachin Pilot, Congress general secretary for Punjab, had recently told The Tribune that Warring’s replacement was likely and also that having many CM aspirants was a strength, not a weakness.Earlier today, Warring met Rahul and formally tendered his resignation, a day after changing his X bio to describe himself as a “former Punjab Congress president”.Warring told Rahul he would serve the party in whatever capacity he was asked to.“I met Rahul and formally submitted my resignation as the Punjab Congress president. He gave me a lot of love,” Warring said.He said Rahul reviewed the Punjab situation and sought a feedback on ground realities in the state, including what was happening with the AAP government and what should be done going forward.“I shared with him my four-and-a-half years of experience as the Punjab Congress president, the challenges we have, how we have to fight those challenges and where our strengths lie. This was the focus of the discussion,” said Warring, who was called to Delhi yesterday.The Ludhiana MP said he thanked Rahul for giving him the opportunity to lead the state Congress under difficult circumstances.“I assured him that I am ready to serve the party whenever it requires me,” Warring said.Warring had taken charge as the state chief in April 2022 after the party’s worst-ever showing in the Assembly elections.The Congress won only 18 of the 117 seats in 2022 while AAP swept to power.