Moving forward in its fight to retain Punjab in the upcoming Assembly elections in early 2022, Congress went ahead and appointed a Dalit leader and three consecutive term legislator Charanjit Singh Channi as the next Chief Minister of the state. This came after Captain Amarinder Singh tendered his resignation on September 18.
Charanjit Singh Channi will take the oath as the Chief Minister on Monday (September 20) at 11 am after meeting Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
The decision to make Channi the Chief minister was unanimous and was supported by all party MLAs before the Governor.
Channi, 48, the legislator from Chamkaur Sahib, is the first Dalit Chief Minister and the youngest to be at helm in the state. He belongs to the Ramdasia community. With his appointment, Congress is trying to woo the Dalit vote, comprising 32 per cent, ahead of the Assembly polls slated in March 2022.
Outgoing Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was among the first to greet Channi when the party General Secretary in charge of state Harish Rawat made the formal announcement on his appointment in the evening, ending day-long suspense over the new incumbent.
Notably, Channi, a cabinet minister in the present government, was leading from the front to demand the removal of Amarinder Singh as the government in his helm has failed to come as per the aspirations of the people and even failed to implement the 2017 Assembly poll promises.
“Congratulations to Shri Charanjit Singh Channi Ji for the new responsibility. We must continue to fulfill the promises made to the people of Punjab. Their trust is of paramount importance,” party leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
(Agency inputs)
