Chandigarh:
After Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent visits to Punjab, including Mansa, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Sangrur on November 4, as the party prepares to intensify its campaign for the 2027 assembly elections.
Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh announced that Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will initiate a fresh phase of the party's election preparations from Malwa, Punjab's most politically significant region in terms of assembly representation.
The choice of Sangrur carries particular political significance as it is the home district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who represented the Lok Sabha seat before becoming the chief minister. By launching its campaign from Mann's home district, the Congress is placing the AAP political stronghold in focus as it prepares to challenge the ruling party in 2027.
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Malwa accounts for 69 of Punjab's 117 assembly seats, nearly 59 per cent, making it crucial for any party seeking to form government.
The region has historically played a decisive role in elections and includes key political centres such as Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Faridkot, Moga and Ferozepur.
AAP's 2022 sweep makes Malwa crucial
Malwa was central to AAP's victory in the 2022 assembly elections, when the party won 66 of the region's 69 seats. The scale of that victory makes the region a key battleground for parties preparing to challenge AAP in 2027.
For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi's visit is an opportunity to mobilise workers, strengthen its grassroots organisation and sharpen its campaign against the ruling party.
The BJP has also stepped up its political outreach in Punjab, with Amit Shah's visits bringing issues such as the drug menace into focus.
Pargat Singh said the November 4 programme will give fresh direction and momentum to the Congress's election campaign.
He called on party leaders and workers to unite and prepare for Mission 2027, with public issues and organisational strengthening at the centre of the strategy.