The Punjab Congress has shifted its district level workers meeting from Ropar to Nangal, a move that has triggered political speculation amid the party’s continuing factional strife ahead of the Assembly elections.The meeting, scheduled for Friday, will be addressed by Punjab Congress incharge Bhupesh Baghel and PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. It is part of the state-wide series of district-level interactions being held to motivate the party cadre and strengthen the organisation before the assembly polls.Originally planned at the district headquarters in Ropar, the venue was changed to Nangal yesterday evening.Ropar District Congress Committee president Ashwani Sharma confirmed the change. He said that the decision was taken to sharpen the party attack on Punjab Education and Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who represents the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency. Sharma said the Congress intends to corner the AAP government over the recent paper leak controversy, making Nangal a more suitable venue for the program.However, party sources said that the venue was shifted to avoid possible confrontation between rival Congress factions.According to sources, the party leadership was apprehensive of resistance from supporters of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, whose influence remains significant in parts of Ropar district. Channi enjoys a strong political base in the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency, while his close associate Barinder Singh Dhillon has considerable support in the Ropar assembly segment.The sources said that by shifting the meeting to Nangal, which falls under the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency, the party hopes to minimise the possibility of open factionalism overshadowing the event.Nangal has traditionally been considered a stronghold of former Punjab Assembly Speaker KP Rana, who has publicly backed Raja Warring and Bhupesh Baghel in the ongoing organisational exercise. Unlike Ropar and Chamkaur Sahib, the Channi camp has relatively limited influence in Nangal.Party insiders said the responsibility of ensuring a successful show of strength without any public display of infighting has now been entrusted largely to Rana and his supporters.Whether the change of venue succeeds in preventing embarrassment for the party remains to be seen.The Congress has witnessed repeated incidents of factional clashes during district-level workers meetings held across Punjab in recent weeks. In several districts, rival groups raised slogans against one another, held parallel gatherings exposing deep divisions within the organisation despite the leadership efforts to project unity. Internal rivalries between camps loyal to Raja Warring, Channi and other senior leaders have to cast a shadow over the campaign.The continuation of Raja Warring as PPCC president has drawn criticism from sections of the Channi camp. Last month, Channi’s supporters had openly expressed displeasure over decisions of the party high command.Against this backdrop, the Nangal meeting assumes significance as the Congress leadership attempts to demonstrate organisational unity while simultaneously launching a political offensive against the ruling AAP.