Charanji Singh Channi (left) and Navjot Singh Sidhu on stage earlier this week.
New Delhi:
Who will be the Congress’s chief ministerial candidate for next month’s Punjab elections – incumbent Charanjit Singh Channi or state unit boss Navjot Sidhu? Sources told NDTV that the answer to the million dollar question for the party may lie with Sonia Gandhi in “a day or two”.
The party has sought members’ opinion through its in-house ‘Shakti’ app and the consultation is now in the final stages, sources said, adding that at this point of time, Channi’s prospects were looking better and efforts were on to bring in Mr Sidhu. Were. And his camp “on board”.
The buzz comes on a day the Congress announced that Mr Channi would contest from another constituency – Bhadaur – other than Chamkaur Sahib, as was decided earlier, suggesting that the party may bring a chief minister to the assembly. Was very curious
The Congress is caught in an epic dilemma with a fierce rivalry that is threatening the Congress campaign to such an extent that senior leader Rahul Gandhi announced this week that the party would indeed name a contender, insisting that , “Two people cannot lead, only one can.”
We will fulfill your demand of CM candidate at the earliest. Normally, we do not declare the chief minister’s face, but if Congress workers want, we will select a face as well. But we will consult Congress workers. They will decide. Rahul Gandhi said in Jalandhar on Thursday.
The party that governs Punjab had earlier said that a decision would be taken only after the February 20 elections.
Mr. Gandhi made remarks on stage with both Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu and Chief Minister Charanjit Channi; Their swipes on each other are becoming intensified and embarrassing for the party by the day.
Before the Congress leader spoke, the feudal leaders declared that they would not aspire to the post or disregard the party.
Navjot Sidhu “assured” Rahul Gandhi that he would accept his decision no matter what, and Chief Minister Channi dramatically folded his hands and appealed “not to let outsiders like Arvind Kejriwal say that insiders in Congress There is discord”.
Mr Channi took over as chief minister of Punjab in September after the Congress sacked Sidhu’s arch rival Amarinder Singh.
But Mr. Sidhu’s relationship with the new chief minister has not been smooth as neither of them is ready to step down from the top post.
Punjab will go to polls next month along with four other states and the results will be declared on March 10.
,