Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh (62) on Saturday praised Amrinder Raja Warring, describing him as an important leader who had strengthened the party during his tenure as PPCC chief.After meeting Punjab affairs in-charge Sachin Pilot at his Delhi residence along with Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Pargat sought to downplay factionalism while taking on the ruling AAP in Punjab over the issue of state resources and governance.Speaking to The Tribune, the former Olympian and Jalandhar Cantt MLA said that drawing on his experience as a former India hockey captain, he would work collectively to help the Congress return to power in 2027. He said he had always played as a “full-back”, a position centred on supporting the team from behind, and would continue to play the same role in the party by giving prominence to senior members.With only a few months left before the Assembly elections, the former Cabinet minister will have to reorganise the state unit, bridge differences among senior leaders and build a cohesive party organisation ahead of the Assembly elections.The former Indian hockey captain said the Congress would shift the political debate towards issues affecting Punjab and shape its politics around the state needs. He said the Punjab Congress under his leadership would try to make its politics meaningful, setting up a governance-focused campaign against the AAP government in the run up to the 2027 elections.Pargat said Punjabis were peace-loving and had repeatedly rejected divisive politics. He sought to turn that argument into a wider Congress pitch for the years leading up to the next Assembly election.Pilot praises PPCC ex-chiefA day after Warring criticised his removal as PPCC chief, Pilot described him as a younger brother and credited him with strengthening the Congress during his tenure as state president. Calling the leadership change part of the political process, Pilot said Warring would continue to work for the party with greater resolve.Meanwhile, after initially expressing disappointment over Pargat’s appointment as PPCC chief, leaders aligned with former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi have decided to resume work on the various election committees constituted by the AICC.Leaders who had opposed Warring are also set to rejoin organisational work, signalling a move towards greater unity ahead of the Assembly elections.