Charanjit Singh Channi is chosen as the new Punjab chief minister and the Congress party announced he will take oath at 11 am on Monday.
“It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Charanjit Singh Channi has been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab,” Congress General Secretary Harish Rawat tweeted.
Rahul Gandhi Congress leader tweeted, “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.”
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.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 19, 2021
Channi, 58, is the first Dalit leader to be chosen as chief minister of the state. He is Punjab’s technical education minister and an MLA from the Chamkaur Sahib constituency. Channi is considered close to state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Channi said he will take oath as Punjab chief minister at 11 am on Monday.
Just months before the Assembly polls, Amarinder Singh resigned from the chief minister’s post on Saturday and stepped down from the top post following a hostile battle of words with Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was appointed the Congress’ chief in Punjab in July.
Channi was among the Cabinet ministers who opposed Arminder Singh, reported The Hindu. They had complained to the party’s high command that Singh was not fulfilling the Congress’ 2017 Assembly election promises.
Arminder Singh conveyed his best wishes to his successor. “I hope he’s able to keep the border state of Punjab safe and protect our people from the growing security threat from across the border,” he added.
Many leaders congratulated Channi and as Rahul Gandhi said, the party must continue to fulfill the promises made to the people of the state. Another senior party leader, Brahm Mohindra, welcomed the party’s decision to nominate Channi to the top post.
Earlier on Sunday, media reports said that Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was likely to be named as the new chief minister. According to The Tribune, Sidhu was not in favour of choosing Randhawa as the chief minister.
Randhawa said he was not disappointed that the party selected Channi, and ANI reported. “It is the high command’s decision,” he said. “I welcome it. Channi is like my younger brother.
The state will go to the polls in February or March next year.