India, Oct. 2 -- Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday met former party president Rahul Gandhi and handed him his formal resignation as the chief of the Punjab unit.

Warring headed the state Congress for over four years, and his resignation comes ahead of assembly polls in the state due early next year.

Longstanding infight in the state unit preceded his resignation.

The Congress recently replaced its AICC in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, who spent weeks in Punjab recently to placate fighting factions, and appointed Sachin Pilot in his place.

Former state minister Vijay Inder Singla already leads the race to become the new party chief in Punjab. Singla is also a co-treasurer of AICC and oversees the party's properties.

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