Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday delivered a stern message to the Punjab Congress leadership, urging them to end internal bickering and function as a united team ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Addressing party workers at a rally in Barnala under the ‘Save MNREGA, Save Farmers’ campaign, Gandhi said no individual, regardless of seniority or stature, is bigger than the party.
“A single player cannot win the game. We have an entire team, and I want to give you all a message -- be a team player, otherwise we will make you sit in reserves. No matter how big a player you are, I am telling you, no one is bigger than the party. Be a team player,” he asserted.
He warned that disciplinary action would follow if leaders failed to work collectively. “If anyone does not function as a team player, then Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and I will take appropriate action,” he said. Gandhi also used the platform to attack the BJP-led Centre over issues concerning farmers and workers.
“Punjab understands that the foundation of this country rests on farmers and workers. I am here to explain what is happening in Delhi, what the Prime Minister has done in recent days, and what its consequences will be,” he said. Referring to a recent debate in Parliament following the President’s Address, Gandhi said he had raised concerns based on claims made in a book by former Army Chief Manoj Naravane.
“The former Chief of Army Staff has written that Chinese tanks were entering Indian territory. I want members of the armed forces and ex-servicemen to listen carefully,” he said. During his nearly 30-minute address, Gandhi also spoke extensively on MGNREGA and the potential impact of the Indo-US trade engagement on India’s agricultural sector, alleging that farmers could be adversely affected.
“Punjab is our strength. Whenever I come here, I see the foundation of India. You are our protectors, you are our foundation, and we love you,” he told the gathering. Barnala, traditionally considered a stronghold of the Aam Aadmi Party, has been a key centre of farmer and labour movements in the state, making Gandhi’s outreach politically significant as the Congress seeks to consolidate its base in Punjab ahead of the 2027 polls.