Charanjit Singh Channi to be Congress' CM face for Punjab, announces Rahul Gandhi

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Charanjit Singh Channi will be Congress' Chief Ministerial face for Punjab, Rahul Gandhi announced on Sunday, ahead of forthcoming assembly elections to be held in one single phase on February 20. Rahul Gandhi declared the name in Ludhiana during a virtual rally.

Announcing party's CM candidate for Punjab, Rahul Gandhi said, "Punjab CM will come from a poor family, Chaani will be CM face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections."

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress' state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were the main contenders to be the CM face for the party though both have assured Gandhi that whosoever was chosen they will stand by the decision.

Just as Rahul Gandhi made the announcement, he said, "The party urged people to choose its CM face in Punjab and people wanted a CM from a poor financial background, who will listen to people and take them along. Hence, Channi will be CM face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections".

Elated at the announcement, Channi said, "I will only be a medium and will take all my party leaders along at every step. I would like to thank Sidhu Ji and Jakhar Ji for welcoming me with open arms. I will not let the people of Punjab down".

Accepting the decision, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was in the race, hugged Channi on the stage as Gandhi announced his name after over 45 minutes of his speech, televised across the 117 Assembly seats.

Rahul Gandhi praised Channi for his humble background.

Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said, "he is not the PM but a king. Have you seen him helping anyone on the roadside".

Getting emotional on the announcement of his name, Channi said that he has always been honest, never took a penny from anyone, and will continue to work honestly.

Channi became the CM after the unceremonious exit of Amarinder Singh over allegations of being hand-in-glove with the Akalis for not fulfilling the 2017 prominent poll promises -- acting with an iron fist against the drug mafia and justice for the sacrilege of 2015 that led to protests and the deaths of two persons in the subsequent police firing.

The Congress announcement of the CM's face came after the AAP declared comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann as its Chief Ministerial candidate on January 18.

Before the formal announcement by Gandhi, Sidhu said, "I have accepted Rahul Gandhi's decision...If I am given decision-making power, I will finish the mafia, improve people's lives. If not given power, I will walk with a smile with whomever you make the CM."

Responding to the Congress announcement, AAP Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha tweeted, "It is indeed sad that out of 3 crore Punjabis, the Congress party chose a person who is accused of illegal sand mining and transfer posting scam as their CM candidate."

"Most of the cabinet ministers and top leaders stood behind Channi owing to his soft approach, easy accessibility and the most important, being the biggest Dalit face. If the high command projected Sidhu as the chief minister's face, it could upset the party's Dalit vote bank," a senior Congress leader told IANS, requesting anonymity.

"After building an image of transferring power from the elite (Capt Amarinder Singh) to the poor, the party can't ignore Channi's claim at this stage," the Congress leader added.

In a bid to woo Dalit voters, Channi last month spent a night at Dera Sachkhand Ballan, a prominent Ravidassia community that has much influence in the Doaba region comprising Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Kapurthala districts.

In his brief helm of 111 days, Channi built an image of the common man's Chief Minister by extensively touring the state, occasionally performing 'bhangra' on the beats of a 'dhol' at public functions, favouring tea at roadside eateries while narrating couplets to the masses, besides accepting 'siropas' (religious robes) enroute by stopping his cavalcade.

The key opponents in the state -- the AAP, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) combine and the BJP in alliance with Amarinder Singh's new party Punjab Lok Congress and the Samyukt Samaj Morcha, the fledging coalition of farm unions -- are making an issue out of the Congress CM's face.

Now the prominent faces for the parties are Channi (Congress), 58; Mann (AAP), 48; Sukhbir Singh Badal (SAD), 59; Amarinder Singh (BJP-led alliance), 80; and Balbir Singh Rajewal (Samyukt Samaj Morcha), 78.

Political observers believe the decision of the Congress to go to the polls in the state, which is witnessing a five-cornered contest, under the leadership of three-time legislator Channi, the state's first Dalit Chief Minister, is to woo the Dalit Sikh votes that constitutes 32 per cent Scheduled Caste population in the state, the country's largest.

(With inputs from IANS)

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