Jalandhar, October 8, 2026: Newly appointed Punjab Congress president and Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh paid obeisance at Dera Sachkhand Ballan on Thursday and met the Dera’s spiritual head, Padma Shri Sant Niranjan Dass.
Pargat Singh was accompanied by several senior Congress leaders during the visit, including Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh and Adampur MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, along with other party leaders and workers.
On reaching the Dera, Pargat Singh paid obeisance and later met Sant Niranjan Dass. The Congress leaders sought the blessings of the spiritual head during the meeting and spent time at the religious centre.
The visit came shortly after Pargat Singh was appointed president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The former Indian hockey captain, who represents Jalandhar Cantonment in the Punjab Assembly, has begun meeting party leaders and visiting prominent religious places after assuming the new organisational responsibility.
Earlier in the day, Pargat Singh visited Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar along with Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot and paid obeisance there. He said the visits were meant to express gratitude and seek blessings rather than engage in political discussions.
His programme also included visits to other religious places before reaching Jalandhar. Dera Sachkhand Ballan had already been included in the itinerary announced ahead of his return to the region following his appointment as Punjab Congress president.
Sant Niranjan Dass is the current spiritual head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, one of the prominent religious institutions based near Jalandhar. The Dera is associated with the teachings of Guru Ravidass and is also involved in educational, healthcare and social-welfare activities.
Pargat Singh’s elevation to the top organisational post in the Punjab Congress has also brought renewed attention to the party’s leadership in the Doaba region. Several senior Congress legislators and functionaries from the region have met him in recent days following his appointment.
During Thursday’s visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan, however, the emphasis remained on paying obeisance and meeting Sant Niranjan Dass. No specific political announcement was reported during the meeting.
Pargat Singh is expected to formally assume charge of the Punjab Congress organisation in the coming days as the party begins its organisational preparations ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
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