- To take oath on Monday at 11 am
- First Dalit CM of Punjab
- Supporters of Channi celebrate at his residence in Kharar
- Rahul Gandhi congratulates Charanjit Channi
Amritsar: Charanjit Channi will take oath as new Chief Minister of Punjab on Monday at 11 am. Charanjit Singh Channi has been unanimously elected as the leader of CLP of Punjab. Harish Rawat tweeted and thanked High Command for the decision.
Dramatic developments took place before announcing new CM name at JW Marriot Hotel in Chandigarh. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa”s name was speculated prior to Charanjit and final call was taken by Sonia Gandhi who announced officially later as CM. Navjot Singh Sidhu was unhappy with the name of Sukhjinder as per sources.
“I am not at all disappointed and Channi is like my younger brother,” Randhawa tweeted after Channi was announced as new CM.
Channi, MLA from Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency served as Minister of Technical Education and Industrial training in Captain Amarinder Singh Government.
Captain congratulated new CM and said “I hope he is able to keep the border state of Punjab safe and protect our people from growing security threat from across border”.
Punjab assembly elections will take place in 2022 and High Command felt it is right time to change the seat as Captain is facing anti incumbency, as per Congress sources. As Akali Dal had entered into electoral pact with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Congress leadership settled for a Dalit Chief Minister for the first time in the history of Punjab. It hopes to prevent Mayawati’s party from cutting into Dalit votes.