Former India hockey captain and Congress MLA Pargat Singh has been appointed the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), ending the tenure of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state Congress chief.
Warring had earlier submitted his resignation to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a meeting at 10 Janpath. His resignation came amid growing speculation over a change in the state party leadership ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Warring had earlier alleged that Congress Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot wanted him removed from the post.
Pargat Singh, 61, brings a distinctive combination of international sporting credentials, administrative experience and electoral politics to the top Congress post in Punjab. He is currently an AICC secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir.
Born on March 5, 1965, in Mithapur village of Jalandhar district, Pargat Singh emerged from one of Punjab’s most renowned hockey nurseries. He played as a full-back and was regarded as one of India’s leading defenders during his international career.
Pargat represented India at three consecutive Olympic Games — Seoul in 1988, Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. He captained the Indian hockey team at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. At the Atlanta Games, he also had the distinction of being India’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony.
His other international achievements include a bronze medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul and a silver medal at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
His contribution to Indian hockey was recognised with the Arjuna Award in 1989 and the Padma Shri in 1998.
After his hockey career, Pargat joined the Punjab Police and rose to the rank of Superintendent of Police. He later left the police service and entered electoral politics.
Political journey
Pargat Singh entered electoral politics in 2012 when he contested the Jalandhar Cantonment Assembly seat on a Shiromani Akali Dal ticket and defeated Congress candidate Jagbir Singh Brar.
He subsequently quit the SAD and joined the Congress. In the 2017 Assembly elections, he contested from Jalandhar Cantonment on a Congress ticket and retained the seat. He later served as a minister in the Congress government in Punjab.
Despite the Aam Aadmi Party’s sweeping victory in the 2022 Assembly elections, Pargat retained the Jalandhar Cantonment seat for Congress. He defeated former Indian hockey international and AAP candidate Surinder Singh Sodhi by around 5,800 votes.
His appointment as PPCC president comes at a crucial time for the Congress, with the party preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections and seeking to strengthen its organisation in the state.
Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot congratulated Pargat Singh on his appointment as the new state party chief.
In a post on X, Pilot extended his “congratulations and best wishes” to Pargat and expressed hope that the Congress would deliver a strong performance in the 2027 Assembly elections under his leadership.
“I extend my congratulations and best wishes to the newly appointed President of the Punjab Congress Committee, @PargatSOfficial ji. I hope that under your leadership, the party will deliver an outstanding performance in the upcoming assembly elections,” Pilot said.
Pilot said Pargat would carry forward the vision of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi with “complete dedication and loyalty”.
“Punjab is yearning for change, and at this juncture, the Congress party must strengthen its organisation further while firmly raising issues that resonate with the public,” Pilot said.
