Chandigarh: The internal rift within the Punjab Congress has drastically widened following a scathing open letter written by senior leader Mohammed Mustafa to Rahul Gandhi. In the communication, Mustafa called for the immediate resignation of the state party president, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. He warned the central leadership that swift, uncompromising action must be taken without delay to prevent catastrophic damage to the organization ahead of the crucial 2027 Assembly elections.
Mustafa, the husband of former Punjab minister Razia Sultana, pulled no punches as he categorized the internal developments of the state unit over the past six months as a “theatre of the absurd.” He laid the blame for the current state of political turmoil directly at the doorstep of the central high command, citing their ongoing indecisiveness as the catalyst for recent disruptive events, most notably the high-profile meeting of dissenting leaders at Morinda. According to Mustafa, this hesitation by the top brass has severely emboldened opportunistic leaders who joined the party in 2012, allowing them to openly challenge the very establishment that provided them political prominence in the first place. He emphasized that the unique political culture of Punjab heavily respects courage and decisive action, while viewing hesitation and prolonged ambiguity as a distinct sign of weakness.
Launching a targeted critique against the current state administrative setup, Mustafa stated that Raja Warring has effectively alienated a major section of the senior leadership due to his political inexperience and the controversial influence of his chief adviser, Sandeep Sandhu. He strongly suggested that to protect the integrity of the national leadership and restore organizational discipline, Raja Warring should step down voluntarily and leave all restructuring choices entirely to the high command. Mustafa urged that the next Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president be selected purely on merit, rather than as a safe compromise designed to appease rival internal factions. He concluded his letter with a direct, urgent appeal to Rahul Gandhi to act fearlessly, warn against the potential of pressure tactics regarding the 2027 chief ministerial face, and use firm structural intervention to discipline the state unit before time runs out.
