Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday launched the Jawani Sambhal cycle yatra from Chamkaur Sahib as part of the Congress’ wider political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

The launch, however, was accompanied by renewed questions over unity within the Punjab Congress after former state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was absent from the event. Congress leaders maintained that the party was united even as political rivals highlighted differences within the state unit.

The eight-day campaign, scheduled from November 12 to 19, is aimed at highlighting issues concerning Punjab’s youth, including unemployment and the drug menace. The yatra is planned to cover nearly 625 km across at least 27 Assembly constituencies.

Senior Congress leaders join Channi’s yatra

Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot flagged off the cycle rally in the presence of several senior party leaders, including newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pargat Singh, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rana Gurjeet Singh and other leaders.

Channi sought to present the cycle campaign as part of the Congress’ broader programme rather than an individual initiative. The party is using the campaign to raise issues such as drugs, unemployment, gangsterism and law and order ahead of the state elections.

The absence of Raja Warring nevertheless drew attention. His non-participation came amid earlier concerns about coordination between different leaders and factions in the Punjab Congress.

Bhagwant Mann targets Channi’s cycle rally

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann mocked the campaign and questioned its purpose. He suggested that the bicycles being used in the rally should instead be distributed among poor people.

Mann claimed that around 2,000 bicycles were being used and estimated their combined value at nearly Rs. 1 crore, based on his claim that each bicycle cost around Rs. 5,000.

He also attacked Channi over the Enforcement Directorate’s seizure of cash from premises linked to his nephew and alleged that Congress leaders were engaging in political drama despite claiming to represent the poor. These were political allegations made by Mann.

BJP also questions Congress unity

Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar described the Congress campaign as an internal show of strength rather than an initiative focused on Punjab’s problems.

Jakhar contrasted the different outreach programmes being organised by Congress leaders and referred to separate factions within the party. He also criticised the use of bicycles for Channi’s campaign while alleging that other Congress leaders were planning political yatras using luxury vehicles.

The Congress, meanwhile, has continued to project unity. Pilot said the Punjab unit was moving forward together, while other senior leaders also defended the party’s coordination during the yatra launch.

Focus on Punjab youth ahead of 2027 polls

The Jawani Sambhal yatra is part of the Congress’ broader Punjab Mangda Insaaf campaign. The party plans to use the mobilisation to raise issues involving Punjab’s youth and attack the AAP government over drugs, unemployment, gangsterism and other concerns.

The campaign comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with Congress seeking to challenge the ruling AAP in the state.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its second list of 31 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, taking the total number of constituencies for which it has declared nominees to 71. The latest list includes two sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), while several sitting MLAs have been replaced.

The party has also cancelled the ticket of Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, fielding Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian instead from Lambi.

The development comes as the ruling party steps up preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. 

AAP’s second list follows 40-candidate announcement

AAP had announced its first list of 40 candidates on October 31. The party had renominated all 40 sitting MLAs included in that list.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was named as the candidate from Dhuri, while Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was fielded from Kotkapura.

Three AAP MLAs quit the party shortly after the announcement of the first list, leaving Samana, Sanaur and Amritsar North among the constituencies requiring a fresh look.

Minister Gurmeet Khuddian loses Lambi ticket

One of the significant changes in the second list is in Lambi, where AAP has fielded Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian instead of sitting MLA and Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.

Gurmeet Singh Khuddian had defeated former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from the constituency in the 2022 Assembly elections.

Two sitting MPs get Assembly tickets

AAP has fielded two sitting MPs in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer will contest from Barnala, his former constituency, while Hoshiarpur MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal has been named as the candidate from Phagwara.

Meet Hayer returns to Barnala, where Congress won the 2024 bypoll.

Focus shifts to candidate selection ahead of Punjab polls

The second list indicates that the party is making further changes to its candidate selection as it prepares for the 2027 Assembly elections.

Giving tickets to two MPs also marks an important development in its electoral preparations.

The candidate announcements come as political parties begin preparing for the next electoral contest in Punjab, where the AAP will seek another term in government.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has resigned from his position, marking a major leadership change at the world’s leading artificial intelligence chipmaker. The company’s board has appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO while it begins the process of finding a permanent successor.

The development comes amid controversy surrounding reports of Huang’s alleged extramarital relationships, including one involving a Chinese businesswoman suspected by US authorities of having links to espionage activities.

Huang’s departure comes after more than three decades at the helm of Nvidia, the company he co-founded in 1993. His leadership helped transform the business from a graphics chip manufacturer into a dominant supplier of processors powering the global artificial intelligence industry.

Colette Kress appointed interim Nvidia CEO

Following Huang’s resignation, Nvidia’s board appointed Colette Kress as interim chief executive officer.

Kress, who has served as Nvidia’s executive vice president and CFO since September 2013, will continue to hold the finance portfolio alongside her interim leadership responsibilities until a permanent successor is appointed.

Before joining Nvidia, she spent nearly 25 years working in finance roles at major technology companies, including Cisco and Microsoft.

The board has said it will consider both internal and external candidates as part of its search for a permanent CEO.

Nvidia has also appointed Harvey C. Jones as the company’s first-ever chairman of the board.

Affair controversy surrounding Jensen Huang

Huang’s resignation follows a series of reports about alleged extramarital relationships that have raised questions about his position at the company.

One of the controversies involves Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman whom US intelligence agencies reportedly suspect of involvement in facilitating shipments of Nvidia chips to Chinese companies.

Another report alleged that Huang had a relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare, who reportedly worked under him.

Huang had earlier acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a message to Nvidia employees, taking responsibility for his actions and apologising to his family and colleagues.

The company’s board had also initiated an independent investigation into whether Huang had been targeted as part of a foreign intelligence operation.

Jensen Huang’s departure marks a major change for Nvidia

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 alongside Curtis Priem and Chris Malachowsky. Under his leadership, the company evolved from a graphics processing unit manufacturer primarily associated with gaming into a central player in the global AI industry.

Nvidia’s processors have become critical to companies developing and operating artificial intelligence systems, making the company one of the most influential businesses in the technology sector.

His departure also comes at a crucial time for Nvidia, with investors closely watching the company’s leadership transition and its ability to maintain its position in the rapidly expanding AI market.