CHANDIGARH: Internal discord within the Punjab Congress has once again come to the fore, with Sukhpal Singh Khaira, chairman of the All India Kissan Congress, openly criticising party MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh for advocating private purchase of maize.
This public confrontation comes despite Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel’s directive for leaders to refrain from attacking each other in public. Khaira also questioned the timing of Gurjeet’s campaign, suggesting that it could disrupt the party’s preparations for the 2027 Punjab elections.
At an event in Muktsar on Monday, Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh urged farmers to shift from cotton to maize, calling it the only immediate alternative. He also announced that he would personally ensure the purchase of maize at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the next two years.
Khaira, however, strongly objected to Rana Gurjeet’s stance, accusing him of promoting the privatisation of crop marketing—an approach similar to the now-repealed farm laws that sparked mass protests in 2021. “This is exactly the BJP-Adani model of private mandikaran (market privatisation),” Khaira stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Khaira also raised concerns about the timing of Rana Gurjeet’s campaign. He questioned why the MLA was suddenly pushing this agenda when Congress was gearing up for the 2027 elections. “Is this campaign being run at the behest of the BJP to create confusion within Congress, especially after the recent Income Tax raids and the SEBI order penalising Rana for Rs 63 crore? Is he under pressure after allegations that his companies cheated shareholders of Rs 600 crore in the stock market?” Khaira asked.
Further attacking Rana Gurjeet, Khaira pointed out that despite promising MSP on maize, the MLA’s Phagwara Sugar Mill was yet to clear Rs 27.74 crore in sugarcane arrears to farmers for the 2021-22 season. He also accused Rana’s industry of withholding beetroot crop payments.
Khaira questioned whether Rana Gurjeet discussed his maize campaign within the party before making public statements. “He often claims to have retired from business, with his family handling his enterprises. If this is a private business initiative, why haven’t his sons—who run the business—taken the lead instead? Also, why has he chosen Malwa for this campaign when maize is primarily grown in Doaba?” he asked.
Khaira also took a jibe at Rana Gurjeet’s alleged reluctance to criticise either the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt in Punjab or the BJP-led Centre. “Is his silence because of his vast business interests in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where he needs govt support to expand his empire?” he asked.