Awla’s exit deepens Guruharsahai Congress crisis ahead of 2027 polls; AAP eyes political opportunity
Ferozepur, October 28, 2026: With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, political activity has intensified in Ferozepur, with leaders across party lines exploring possibilities, strengthening their support bases and attempting to forge favourable political equations. However, the electoral picture remains fluid, with local influence, social equations and winnability likely to play a decisive role in the selection of candidates.
Congress workers in Guru Har Sahai, once considered a stronghold of the party, appear increasingly unsettled following the exit of prominent leaders from its ranks. The departure of former four-time MLA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi from Congress to BJP and, more recently, Raminder Singh Awla from Congress to SAD, has raised questions among grassroots workers about the party’s leadership and their own political future.
The growing sentiment among some workers is that when senior leaders themselves leave the party during politically difficult times, who will raise the voice of ordinary workers and ensure that their concerns and interests are addressed?
Congress enjoyed a strong political base in Guru Har Sahai for several years, with Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi representing the constituency for four consecutive terms. He served as Parliamentary Secretary and later as a Cabinet Minister in the Punjab Government. Considered close to former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Sodhi left the Congress in December 2021 and joined the BJP following the change of guard in Punjab and the withdrawal of his ministerial position.
After Sodhi’s departure, the Congress faced the challenge of retaining its political base in Guru Har Sahai. In the February 2022 Assembly elections, the party fielded Makhu-based commission agent leader and then state president of the Arhtiya Association, Vijay Kalra. However, he suffered a major defeat and even lost his security deposit.
Subsequently, Raminder Singh Awla, son of Dr Harbhajan Singh Awla, emerged as an active face of the Congress in the constituency. His sustained political activities gave a fresh sense of confidence to party workers, with several Congress workers and supporters gradually becoming active again.
For many workers, Awla’s growing presence had created the impression that the Congress could rebuild its organisational network and regain some of the ground it had lost.
Gurdeep Singh Dhillon, a Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee member said, Awla’s decision to leave the Congress and join the Shiromani Akali Dal has, however, once again left the party facing the challenge of finding an effective political leadership and rebuilding its organisation in the constituency and the repeated departure of senior leaders was affecting the morale of grassroots workers.
Workers work for the party at the ground level, but when prominent leaders leave for other political parties, particularly during difficult political phases, it naturally creates uncertainty among those who remain with the parent party. In such a situation, many grassroots activists were now concerned about their political future and whether their contribution would continue to receive recognition within the party. However, no other prominent Congress leader had accompanied Awla in leaving the party. Rather, Montu Vohra, long time associated with SAD had announced his joining the Congress.
Added here, Awla had contested and won an election when the Congress was in government, adding that his political strength would have been better assessed had he contested without the advantage of being part of the ruling establishment. Nothing concrete reason has come up of his joining the SAD ahead of the coming Assembly elections in 2027 early next year.
Raminder Awla’s departure has added to the Congress’s challenges in Guru Har Sahai. The immediate task before the party is to retain the confidence of its grassroots workers, rebuild its organisational structure and identify leadership capable of keeping the cadre together.
The coming months will indicate whether the Congress can turn the present setback into an opportunity to reorganise itself and reclaim its lost political ground in the constituency.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which secured a decisive majority in the last Punjab Assembly elections, could benefit politically from its development initiatives and governance record. The state government has highlighted its efforts in infrastructure development, public services and providing employment opportunities to youth, with recruitment drives presented as being merit-based and free from corruption. If these initiatives translate into public satisfaction and continued confidence in the government, they could strengthen AAP’s position ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. However, the electoral impact will ultimately depend on voters’ assessment of the government’s performance, fulfilment of promises and ability to address local concerns.