Over recent weeks the names Channi and Satluj have shaped political discussion in Punjab and may influence the narrative before next year’s assembly elections. At the same time parties seeking power must remember they operate in a sensitive border region while neighbouring conditions remain unsettled and global stability is uncertain.
Both factors could harm Congress prospects in a state where the party has often performed well, unless it shows flexibility and includes former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who seeks to lead the organisation into the polls.
Channi became Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister in September 2021 after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned. His selection followed internal party conflict. The party failed to benefit from the historic appointment because of its divisions, and the Aam Aadmi Party won the 2022 election. Channi lost both seats he contested. He later won a Lok Sabha seat from Jalandhar in 2024 and has since rallied state leaders to press the central leadership for control of the Punjab unit.
Critics within Congress suspect external influence behind his stance. Any move by Channi to another party or a new outfit would damage Congress. The coming election may depend on how Hindu and Dalit voters respond, a segment the BJP also targets. Channi belongs to the Ramadasia community, and sidelining him could affect Congress standing with Dalits elsewhere.
The decision to remove the film Satluj from an OTT platform has also affected the political atmosphere. The movie portrays police encounters and secret cremations during the militancy period of the 1980s and 1990s. Its lead character documents disappearances and dies in custody. The film omits killings carried out by militants, including attacks on officials and civilians. The ban has increased interest, with screenings in villages. The AAP has called for its release on free-speech grounds, while the Shiromani Akali Dal plans wider distribution. The Congress has voiced support for expression but remains uneasy.
