Congress Reshuffle: Sachin Pilot Gets Punjab, Surjewala Gujarat, Baghel Moved to Assam
The Congress has carried out a major organisational reshuffle, appointing Sachin Pilot as the party’s General Secretary in-charge of poll-bound Punjab. Pilot replaces former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who has been reassigned to Assam. The appointments take immediate effect.
The move comes ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly election, with the state Congress facing prolonged factional tensions. The party has been struggling to maintain unity among competing groups, particularly after its decision to retain Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Congress president while giving former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi a prominent campaign role.
Pilot now faces the immediate task of bringing the rival factions together and rebuilding organisational discipline ahead of the election. He will also be involved in coordinating the party’s election preparations and the sensitive process of candidate selection.
Baghel, who had been handling Punjab since February 2025, has been shifted to Assam. His tenure in Punjab coincided with an escalation of differences between rival leaders, including disagreements over the state party leadership.
The reshuffle also gives Randeep Singh Surjewala charge of Gujarat. He will continue to oversee Karnataka while taking on the additional Gujarat responsibility, as the Congress prepares for another important electoral battle there.
Other changes include the appointment of Sukhdeo Bhagat as the Congress in-charge of Chhattisgarh, Dr Sirivella Prasad for Maharashtra and P V Mohan for Andhra Pradesh. Mukul Wasnik will continue as an AICC general secretary.
The timing of the reshuffle is significant. Punjab is scheduled to vote early next year, while Gujarat will hold its Assembly election later in 2027. The changes indicate that the Congress leadership is seeking stronger state-level management and greater organisational preparedness ahead of the coming electoral cycle.
For Pilot, Punjab represents a high-profile political assignment and a test of his ability to manage competing factions. For the Congress leadership, the larger challenge will be converting the organisational changes into a united state campaign capable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
