Top Stories

Charanjit Singh Channi will be the next Chief Minister of Punjab: 10 points

September 19, 2021
Sezarr

Punjab’s new Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, 58, is a three-time MLA from Rupnagar’s Chamkaur Sahib (File)

Chandigarh:
Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit Sikh and outgoing technical education minister, will be the new chief minister of Punjab, the Congress said, two days after Amarinder Singh’s resignation triggered an electoral drama in the state.

Here are the top 10 points of this big story:

  1. Charanjit ChanniThe 58-year-old – a three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar – will take oath as the first Dalit chief minister of Punjab at 11 am on Monday. His promotion is significant in view of next year’s elections and the fact that Dalits constitute about 31 per cent of Punjab’s population. Mr. Channi Representatives can be from Sikh and Hindu communities.

  2. The electoral math behind choosing Charanjit Channi seems simple. The Akali Dal (earlier in power with the BJP) has joined hands with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party to tap the Dalit vote. Mr Channi as a Dalit + Sikh chief minister, the Congress hopes, will counter this.

  3. The Congress’s choice for chief minister may draw criticism in view of a woman IAS officer accusing her of sexual harassment. Mr Channi allegedly sent an inappropriate message in 2018, but the officer never filed a complaint. After the state, the claim was raised again in May. Women’s Commission sent notice and sought response from the state government.

  4. The news of Mr Channi’s appointment came hours after sources told another outgoing minister – Sukhjinder Randhawa – will be named on the top post. Mr. Randhawa’s name met with some skepticism and the Congress high command – keen to ensure that the new chief minister gets maximum support – changed course.

  5. After Charanjit Channi became the Chief Minister, Randhawa said, “I am happy with the decision of the high command. I want to thank all the MLAs who supported me. Channi is my brother…”. Mr. Randhawa, 62, is the outgoing Minister of Prisons and Cooperation.

  6. Amarinder Singh extends his “best wishes” to the new Chief Minister And a subtle reminder of the magnitude of his new assignment. “My best wishes to Charanjit Singh Channi. I hope he is able to keep the border state of Punjab safe and protect our people from the growing security threat from across the border,” he said. Rahul Gandhi also congratulated and reminded Mr Channi of the promises he had made to the people of Punjab.

  7. The legislature party meeting was adjourned this morning after Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni – considered the party’s first choice for chief minister – rejected the proposal. Ms. Soni said “no” in a late night meeting with Rahul Gandhi; He emphasized the “effects” of a non-Sikh chief minister, especially with an election.

  8. Yesterday Amarinder Singh said he was “humiliated” and released. His resignation was followed by months of tussle with rival Navjot Sidhu; The last nail in the coffin was the meeting of Congress MLAs on Friday night. Sources told NDTV that 50 of the party’s 80 MLAs wrote letters to Sonia Gandhi asking Singh to replace her.

  9. An enraged Mr. Singh told Mrs. Gandhi that he had enough. ‘The Congress leadership humiliated me thrice…’ he wrote, declaring himself a “pain” and defending his administration’s track record. The Captain also told NDTV that although he had resigned, “… For the sake of my country, I will oppose his (Navjot Sidhu) name…”

  10. The Singh-Sidhu feud dates back to the 2017 election; Mr Sidhu was expected to become the deputy chief minister, but Mr Singh reportedly refused. NS The rift grew sharply in recent weeks And a Tenius Truce Unresolved Following the statements of Mr Sidhu’s advisors. Last month, fresh complaints against Mr. Singh set the stage for the weekend drama.

.

Leave a Reply