Former Punjab CM Channi runs into fresh trouble

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, May 14

Unlike 2022 Punjab Assembly elections when former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi used to hog limelight over some non-serious statements like his expertise in milking a goat or pegging tents, things are different two years down the line. As the Congress candidate from Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, he has remained occupied with warding off a series of attacks coming on him from within the party as well as outside.

Now, in code violation row

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• Having just got off with allegations of inappropriate touch after former SGPC chief Jagir Kaur’s statement on Monday, he has now got into a more serious trouble
• His comments terming Poonch attack on May 4 as ‘stuntbaazi’ have been termed as a violation of the model code of conduct by Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C
• Channi, however, maintains that he has not indulged in any code violation and had so far not got any ECI notice

Having just got off with allegations of inappropriate touch after former SGPC chief Jagir Kaur’s statement yesterday, he has now got into a more serious trouble. His comments terming Poonch attack on May 4 as ‘stuntbaazi’ have been termed as a violation of the model code of conduct by Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C.

Sibin C said: “The complaint came to us via the Delhi unit of the BJP. We got it verified from Jalandhar District Electoral Officer Himanshu Aggarwal. After his office confirmed it to us that the poll code had been violated, we have sent the report to the ECI. The ECI will get back to us on what action is to be taken against the candidate.”

On the basis for terming Channi’s statement as violation, Sibin C said: “As per the guidelines of the ECI, the candidates cannot make any such statement or allegations, the facts of which cannot be verified.”

Channi, however, maintains that he has not indulged in any code violation and had so far not got any ECI notice. Channi today said: “I will reply to the notice whenever it comes. I have not committed any violation. I had not said that attacks happen due to politics. I had only meant that parties at the helm indulge in politics once such attacks happen”.

BJP Punjab general secretary Anil Sarin commented that Channi had made the statement just to gain publicity by getting into a controversy and scoring brownie points from his party high command.