New PPCC chief Pargat Singh seeks Gursharan Kaur's blessings at Manmohan Singh's Delhi homeਨਵੇਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਪਰਗਟ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਗੁਰਸ਼ਰਨ ਕੌਰ ਤੋਂ ਲਏ ਆਸ਼ੀਰਵਾਦ, ਅੰਬਿਕਾ ਸੋਨੀ ਨਾਲ ਵੀ ਮਿਲੇ

Two days after being handed the reins of the Punjab Congress, new Pradesh Congress Committee president Pargat Singh began his innings with a symbolic visit to the New Delhi residence of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Sunday, where he met the late leader's wife Gursharan Kaur and sought her blessings.

Singh, the Jalandhar Cantonment MLA who was appointed PPCC president on October 2 after Amarinder Singh Raja Warring resigned from the post, shared images of the meeting on his X account along with a message paying tribute to the former Prime Minister.

Seeking blessings before starting work

Sharing photographs from the visit, Singh wrote: "Met Smt. Gursharan Kaur Ji, wife of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Took her blessings and paid my respects while remembering Sardar Manmohan Singh Ji. His simplicity, integrity and dedication to the nation will always remain an inspiration."

Speaking to news agency IANS, Singh said the visit was a deliberate way to begin his tenure. "He (Dr. Manmohan Singh) was a Prime Minister of our country who left behind a legacy not just in the country, but across the entire world. So, I believe that work should begin only after taking blessings from his wife," he said.

Meeting with Ambika Soni

During his Delhi stay, Singh also met veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni. "After that, Ambika ji is there, because she has made a very significant contribution to Punjab," he told IANS. "So, as I said, I wanted to finish all this from Delhi first before going to Punjab."

The new state chief's decision to complete his Delhi engagements before returning to Punjab signals an attempt to consolidate support within the party's central leadership at the very start of his tenure.

A leadership change ahead of polls

The Congress leadership on Friday appointed Singh, a former Indian hockey captain who represented the country at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as PPCC president with immediate effect, replacing Raja Warring. In its notification, the party retained the existing working presidents and chairpersons and co-chairpersons of various election-related committees to ensure continuity.

The change at the top comes ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections due early next year, and the party is looking to its new chief to revitalise its presence and rebuild its connect with workers and the public across the state.

Who is Pargat Singh?

Pargat Singh is the Congress MLA from the Jalandhar Cantonment constituency, which he has represented in the Punjab Assembly since 2012. Before entering politics full-time, he captained the Indian hockey team at two Olympics and was India's flag-bearer at Atlanta. He has been honoured with the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri, and served as Punjab's minister for school and higher education, sports and youth services, and NRI affairs in 2021–22.

Why did Pargat Singh visit Gursharan Kaur?

The visit to the former Prime Minister's home was a symbolic first act after his appointment as PPCC president. Singh told IANS he wanted to begin his tenure after taking the blessings of Gursharan Kaur, the wife of Dr. Manmohan Singh, whom he described as a leader who left behind a legacy not just in India but across the world.

Who is Ambika Soni?

Ambika Soni is a veteran Congress leader with long-standing ties to Punjab. During his Delhi visit, Pargat Singh met her and said she had made a very significant contribution to Punjab, adding that he wanted to finish his Delhi engagements before heading to Punjab.