Congress elects Charanjit Channi as Punjab CM, two deputies likely
Chandigarh: After another day of high drama, the central leadership of Congress on Sunday named Charanjit Singh Channi, Technical Education Minister in Captain Amarinder Singh's outgoing cabinet, as the new Chief Minister of Punjab.
His "nomination" was announced by the party's in charge for Punjab, Harish Rawat, through a tweet at 5.36 pm on Sunday, almost 24 hours after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned ahead of an emergency CLP meeting convened on the direction of the party high command citing "his continued humiliation by the party".
"It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Sh. #CharanjitSinghChanni has been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab," Rawat tweeted tagging Rahul Gandhi, AICC and Punjab Congress in his tweet.
Channi, a Dalit leader, later met Governor Bamwarilal Purohit at Punjab Raj Bhawan in the evening and told the media that he would take oath as CM on Monday at 11 am.
The announcement on Channi's name came after the day-long drama in which names of several leaders kept doing the round as the party's possible choice.
First, it came out that former PCC President Sunil Jakhar is the front runner in the race and his name is almost final. Then, senior party leader Ambika Soni told the media that she was offered the post, but she declined the offer since "not having a Sikh as CM of Punjab has ramifications".
By the evening, the name of Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa as the next CM seemed a certainty, as several MLAs and other political leaders started gathering at his residence to congratulate him. Though Randhawa said that the party leadership was yet to take a final call on this issue, the Congress leader threw enough hints that he could be the party's final choice. At least two Congress MLAs — Pritam Kotbhai from Bhuccho Mandi and Jagdev Singh from Maur Mandi — told media outside Randhawa's residence that his (Randhawa's) name has been cleared by the party leadership as the new CM and only a formal announcement is pending.
But soon reports started emerging that the party's State President Navjot Singh Sidhu was against Randhawa's elevation and wanted some Dalit to be named if his own name was not to be considered. Rawat's tweet finally ended the speculations and the entire focus shifted on Channi.
"I am happy with high command's decision. I want to thank all the MLAs who have supported me. Channi is my brother..." Randhawa said soon after Channi's name was announced.
Captain Amarinder Singh also sent his wishes to Channi.
"My best wishes to Charanjit Singh Channi. I hope he's able to keep the border state of Punjab safe and protect our people from the growing security threat from across the border': @capt_amarinder," the tweet read.
Channi, 58, is a three-time MLA from Rupnagar's Chamkaur Sahib and will be Punjab's first Dalit Chief Minister of the State. His elevation is significant in view of the Assembly polls which are due next year and Dalits are an estimated 32 per cent of Punjab's population.
It was with these Dalit votes in mind that SAD Chief Sukhbir Badal announced sometime back that if his party comes to power, he would have a Dalit as Deputy CM. The BJP had questioned Badal as to why Deputy CM why cannot he give the CM's post to a Dalit.
The BJP's national general secretary Tarun Chugh had even gone to the extent of announcing that BJP would have Dalit as CM if the party comes to power after 2022 polls.
By choosing Channi to head the government, Congress has already done it without even once promising it to the people of the state.
Political observers believe that the Congress party's calculations behind the choice of Channi are not hard to understand.
The SAD has joined hands with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party to tap Dalit votes. With Channi as Chief Minister, Congress can hope to counter the SAD's strategy effectively.
Also, with Channi as the Sikh Dalit face, sources said that the party was also likely to appoint his two deputies – one each from the Sikh and Hindu communities.
