Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has resigned as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) after meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday. Warring personally submitted his resignation to Gandhi after discussions on the political situation in Punjab and the challenges facing the party.Warring, who has served as Punjab Congress chief since April 2022, said that nobody had forced him to resign. He said he chose to submit his resignation to Rahul Gandhi because Gandhi had appointed him to the post.Key HighlightsAmarinder Singh Raja Warring resigned as Punjab Congress chief.Warring met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and personally submitted his resignation.He said he was not forced to step down.Warring served as Punjab Congress president for around four-and-a-half years.He discussed the political situation and organisational challenges in Punjab with Rahul Gandhi.Congress is yet to formally announce his successor.Raja Warring Meets Rahul GandhiAfter reaching Delhi, Warring met Rahul Gandhi and discussed his experience as Punjab Congress president over the past four-and-a-half years.According to Warring, the meeting covered the political situation in Punjab, challenges before the Congress and ways to strengthen the party organisation. He also said he shared his views on the party's future strategy in the state.Warring said he had personally submitted his resignation to Gandhi and rejected the suggestion that he had been compelled to quit. “Nobody asked me to resign,” he said while speaking to reporters after the meeting.Warring Says He Will Continue With CongressDespite stepping down as state party chief, Warring said he would continue to remain committed to the Congress. He also indicated that he would work with whoever is appointed as the next Punjab Congress president.Warring had led the state unit during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the Congress won seven of Punjab's 13 parliamentary seats.Reflecting on his resignation, Warring said that reaching the top is an achievement but no one remains at the top forever. He took charge as Punjab Congress chief in April 2022.Leadership Change Ahead of Punjab ElectionsWarring's resignation comes amid months of internal differences within the Punjab Congress. The party's central leadership has been consulting state leaders over organisational changes ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.Reports have identified former Punjab minister and former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla among the names being considered for the next state Congress president. Other senior leaders have also figured in discussions, although the party has not formally announced a successor yet.Warring's resignation now marks the end of his tenure as Punjab Congress chief, while the Congress leadership prepares to decide on the next state unit president.
