Left out of Congress's Punjab poll panels, Manish Tewari reacts

Congress leader and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari has broken his silence after being left out of the party's newly announced committees for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, posting a cryptic message that has fuelled speculation about internal discontent within the state unit.

On Wednesday, the Congress announced its campaign committee, manifesto committee, and election management and coordination committees for the upcoming Punjab polls. While several senior leaders were assigned key responsibilities, Tewari's name was absent from all the panels.

Reacting to the omission, Tewari took to X (formerly Twitter), writing: "Wish I had an antidote for the insecurities of individuals and institutions!" He also shared a Hindi proverb suggesting that every skill comes with a flaw before adding the phrase, "Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be." The veteran Congress leader further noted that the party had given him enough over the past 45 years and that he had devoted his entire adult life to its service.

Tewari's remarks were widely interpreted as an indirect criticism of the party leadership, although he stopped short of naming anyone. His post quickly sparked discussions over factionalism within the Punjab Congress as the party gears up for the 2027 Assembly elections.

According to party leaders quoted in media reports, one reason for Tewari's exclusion is that he currently represents the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency, which has a separate organisational structure from the Punjab Congress. However, others pointed out that Tewari has previously represented Punjab constituencies such as Anandpur Sahib and Ludhiana in Parliament, making his omission notable.

The reshuffle retained Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the Punjab Congress chief, while senior leaders including former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were entrusted with significant responsibilities in the party's election preparations. The overhaul is aimed at strengthening the Congress ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections scheduled for 2027.

Political observers have also linked Tewari's exclusion to his recent differences with the party's central leadership on certain national issues. The three-time Lok Sabha MP was among the leaders who publicly supported the Centre's diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, a stance that differed from the Congress's official position. However, no senior party leader has publicly attributed his omission to those differences.

Despite his pointed remarks, Tewari did not indicate any intention to leave the Congress or challenge the party leadership. His concluding message—"Whatever will be, will be"—suggested acceptance of the development even as it underscored his disappointment.

The episode comes at a crucial time for the Congress as it seeks to rebuild its organisation in Punjab and mount a strong challenge in the 2027 Assembly elections. Whether Tewari's exclusion has any long-term impact on party unity remains to be seen.