‘Pilot may have thought Raja should be removed’

Chandigarh: Former Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday indicated that state in charge Sachin Pilot may have been of the view that he should be replaced but made it clear that no discussion took place on the matter between them.“I have been in politics for a long time. I have come up from the grassroots and worked from the block level. I feel that Sachin Pilot may have thought that Raja should be removed. I do not have any concrete evidence for this,” Warring tod the media after submitting his resignation to Rahul Gandhi in New DelhiWarring said he had met Pilot formally only once, for about 15 minutes, to congratulate him after his appointment. Pilot later visited Chandigarh for a two-hour protest, after which, Warring said, “the two of us did not meet again”.On speculation that a rival faction led by former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had pushed for his removal, Warring dismissed the suggestion of any personal dispute. “Pressure keeps coming and going... That is fine. This is the struggle and this is politics,” he said.Warring, who is learnt to be planning a family holiday abroad, said he intended to take a break and rest after stepping down, following weeks of internal friction within the state unit ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.On his meeting with Gandhi, Warring said, “He gave me a lot of affection and sought information about the situation in Punjab, what was happening, and what we should do. I shared my four years of experience as the state president with him. I told him where our challenges are, how we will have to fight those challenges, and where our strengths lie.”Internal differences had escalated after the Congress leadership reconfirmed Warring as state chief on July 1, prompting opposition from senior leaders aligned with Channi who sought a change in the state leadership.Following his meeting with Gandhi, Warring and his wife offered prayers at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi to express gratitude and seek blessings.Dhillon mocks CongressJP Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon took a swipe at the Congress, saying that Warring’s resignation would not resolve the party’s internal problems. “If you think that Raja Warring’s resignation will fix everything in Congress, then you are greatly mistaken. The internal feud within Congress is over the chief minister’s chair. It is a fight for power,” Dhillon said.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chandigarh | Silver Rate in Chandigarh | Bank Holidays in Chandigarh | Public Holidays in Chandigarh | Chandigarh AQI | Weather in Chandigarh | Petrol Price in Chandigarh | Diesel Price in Chandigarh | CNG Price in Chandigarh | LPG Price in ChandigarhStay updated with the latest Chandigarh news. Download the TOI App.