Former India captain and Padma Shri awardee takes charge of Punjab Congress

Chandigarh, Oct 3: Pargat Singh, the former Olympian and captain of the Indian hockey team, has made a rare leap from sport to politics, and now stands at the forefront of Punjab's political scene as the head of the state Congress.

The 61-year-old, a three-time MLA from the Jalandhar Cantonment constituency, was named Punjab Congress president on Friday, taking over from Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The change comes ahead of the Assembly elections due early next year.

A Jat Sikh leader from the Doaba region, Singh's appointment follows weeks of infighting over the state unit's leadership, which had threatened to damage the party's poll campaign. Former Punjab minister Vijay Inder Singla, a Hindu face, had been seen as the frontrunner for the post. However, the party high command ultimately opted for the sportsman-turned-politician, as it looks to keep the warring factions together in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.

Singh's story, however, began on the hockey field. Born in March 1965 in Mithapur, Jalandhar, he represented India at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics and also captained the national side. Playing as a full-back, he was regarded as one of the finest defenders of his time. He received the Arjuna Award in 1989 and the Padma Shri in 1998 for his contribution to Indian hockey.

After retiring from international play, he moved into sports administration and served as Director of Sports and as a Superintendent of Police in Punjab before entering electoral politics.

He began his political career with the Shiromani Akali Dal, winning the Jalandhar Cantonment seat on a SAD ticket in the 2012 Assembly elections by a margin of over 6,000 votes against a Congress candidate. He was suspended from the party in 2016.

Ahead of the 2017 polls, he joined Navjot Singh Sidhu's front, 'Awaaz-e-Punjab', which also included Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains. Singh later joined the Congress along with Sidhu. When Sidhu became the state Congress chief, Singh was made general secretary (organisation) of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

His winning run continued in 2017, when he defeated the Akali Dal's Sarabjit Singh Makkar by over 29,000 votes. In 2022, he retained the seat against an AAP rival, winning for the third consecutive time even as the Congress was reduced to 18 seats in the 117-member House.

In the earlier Congress government led by Charanjit Singh Channi, Singh held the key portfolios of education and sports. He is known for speaking out on Punjab's issues and has repeatedly targeted the AAP government over law and order, sports, education, and matters concerning his constituency.

On July 1, he was named co-chairperson of the Congress manifesto committee for the 2027 Assembly polls. He also currently serves as AICC secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir.

His elevation also fits the party's regional and caste balance. Partap Singh Bajwa, a Jat Sikh, is the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, while Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit face, heads the campaign committee. Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is also a Jat Sikh.

Party sources said the decision to replace Warring followed organisational feedback gathered by Punjab in-charge and general secretary Sachin Pilot. Pilot, who replaced former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in the role on September 5, held a series of meetings with state leaders before submitting his report to the high command, which then took the call on the leadership change, the sources added.