Warring was addressing party workers at the launch of a mass mobilization programme at the booth level in Fatehgarh Sahib.

His remarks come in the backdrop of an intense bickering amongst senior party leaders in Punjab where supporters of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi have been demanding his removal as party’s state unit chief.

Warring went on to say that several leaders in the party are more competent than him. “(leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh) Bajwa saab, Channi saab, (Lok Sabha MP Sukhjinder Singh) Randhawa saab, (former PPCC chief Shamsher Singh) Dullo saab are all more competent than me. I used to put up boards for Dullo saab all night long. Loyalty to Congress is most important and if you are not loyal, God will not give you anything,” he said.

He accused the media channels of overplaying any infighting in Congress. “Even during Darbara Singh and Zail Singh’s time there were differences. AAP brought a confidence motion after their six Rajya Sabha members defected, because they knew that 60 of their MLAs are in touch with BJP. They did not want the government to fall. But TV channels have not shown this. Has any Congress MP defected?,” he asked.

Warring claimed that the AAP was planning to change the tickets of 60 MLAs in the 2027 Assembly polls.

The Ludhiana MP further claimed that in other states, BJP has ensured that names of the Muslims who vote for Congress are struck off the voter list. “In every booth they have removed 30 individuals. In 200 booths, the figure comes to 6,000 voters. How will a party win if so many (of its) votes are struck off,” he asked.

The PCC president said Congress will win only if the party has an in-charge at each every booth. “Times are changing and Congress also has to change,” he said, adding that a morphed video of former CM Channi is doing the rounds showing him hitting a journalist. “It is a fake video. He has done no such thing,” said Warring, warning party workers that more such fake photos and videos of Congress leaders could emerge on social media and on TV channels ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab.

The function was presided over by the AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Bhagel and attended by the district, block and booth level office bearers. Terming the assembly polls in Punjab as “most importarnt”, Bhagel said that it is not only being watched across the country, but even outside.

He said the ruling AAP in Punjab, like the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, “is the most vindictive party, which believes in and practices vendetta politics and that is why it is important to defeat them both”. He said the Congress has never believed in vendetta politics.

Baghel predicted a five-cornered contest in Punjab. He said the Congress was faced with a challenge from two governments — BJP’s led government at the Centre and the one led by AAP in Punjab. He said they are two sides of the same coin while adding that there will be two more players, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Waris Punjab De.

Exhorting booth level workers to work hard, he said the fate of the party depends on them. “Once you resolve to be strong to win, no matter how many Modis, Manns or Kejriwals come, nobody can defeat you”, he said.

Among those present on the occasion were former state president Dullo, former minister Brahm Mohindra, Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh, former MLAs Randeep Nabha, Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Kuljeet Nagra and Kulbir Zira.