Punjab Elections: Charanjit Singh Channi is Congress’ CM pick, Sidhu says never lived for any post

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced Charanjit Singh Channi’s name as the chief ministerial face of the party for the Punjab Assembly elections. Making the announcement, Gandhi said it was difficult to pick a diamond from so many diamonds, referring to Channi, PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar.

“A leader is not made in 10-15 days. He is born from fights and struggles. Sidhu, Channi, Jakhar— all have walked on difficult paths and learnt. Too difficult to pick a diamond among so many diamonds,” Gandhi said while while addressing a virtual rally in Ludhiana.

The party had taken feedback from its leaders and workers, and had also sought the opinion of the public on who should be its chief ministerial candidate through an automated call system. Gandhi also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is not the PM but a “king”. Have you seen him helping anyone on roadside, he asks.

Ahead of the revelation of the CM face, Sidhu announced from the same stage that if given the power, he will end mafia and improve people’s lives in Punjab, but if not given the power, he will walk with a smile with whoever is made the CM face. He also said he never lived for any post and hailed the decision of making Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of the state.

Earlier, Sidhu had tweeted that he will abide by the party’s decision on the CM face, which he reiterated this during the virtual rally. Hitting out at former CM Amarinder Singh, Sidhu said he used to dance to the tune of the BJP.

Channi, a member of the Dalit Sikh community, was made the chief minister of Punjab after months of political bickering between former CM Captain Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu ended up with the former’s unceremonious exit from the party.

Channi is a three-time MLA from the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly Constituency of Punjab. He won assembly elections in 2007, 2012 and 2017. Notably, Channi had also served as the leader of opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2015 to 2016.

He was born on April 2, 1972 in a poor family in Makrona Kalan village near Chamkaur Sahib. He had done his primary schooling at a government school in the locality. His father’s name is S. Harsa Singh and his mother’s name is Ajmer Kaur.