With Pargat Singh taking over as Punjab Congress chief, the former Olympian faces a fresh challenge from ex-PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who has begun political posturing against party leaders he believes were responsible for his removal from the top post.To ensure his political survival amid the altered power equations within the party, especially after leaders aligned with former CM Charanjit Singh Channi succeeded in replacing Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel and Warring, the Ludhiana MP is moving towards creating a parallel power centre.Today in Delhi, Warring called his supporters, including some district presidents and former MLAs, to his residence instead of joining Pargat as part of the Punjab Congress leadership. The meeting took place ahead of his participation in the “March for Democracy” to the Supreme Court, along with Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition MPs and leaders, to submit a petition over their “vote chori” charge and against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Even yesterday, Warring held a show of strength at his residence before joining party leaders at Pargat’s oath-taking ceremony. This clearly indicates that Warring is in no mood to give way to his detractors.Warring’s defiance has not gone down well with Pilot and Pargat, who are learnt to be cautiously watching every move of the Ludhiana MP. “A lot depends on how Pargat negotiates his authority with the very leaders he is expected to lead, especially when the Assembly elections are around the corner,” said a senior PCC leader.“If Pilot is close to the Gandhis, the former PCC chief also enjoys their confidence,” said a close aide of Warring, while pointing out that the former PCC chief has been taking potshots at Pilot, whom he believes is instrumental in his removal. Even in his speech at Punjab Congress Bhawan yesterday, Warring took a veiled swipe at Channi and others.Warring’s supporters are hopeful that he will ensure tickets for them in the coming Assembly elections. All senior leaders are lobbying to secure the maximum number of tickets for their loyalists, although Pilot has stated that ticket allocation would be based on surveys, winnability and the strength of candidates.Party insiders said though Pilot was instrumental in appointing Pargat as the state unit chief and had a clear mandate from Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to set things right and bring the party back to power in Punjab, the Jalandhar Cantt MLA has a lot to handle in bringing Channi, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Warring and CLP leader Partap Bajwa on a single platform. Equally responsible is Pilot, who has to ensure that the personal ambitions of Channi, Warring, Randhawa and Bajwa do not come in the way of the party’s working in the run-up to the elections.