Charanjit Singh Channi is Congress's CM candidate for Punjab polls

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana/Chandigarh, February 6

Ending days of uncertainty, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced Charanjit Singh Channi as the party’s chief ministerial face for the upcoming Assembly elections, pushing PPCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu out of the race.

The decision shows that it has gone by the popular demand of the party leaders and workers and at the same time cash in on the Dalit-Sikh face and nearly 32 per cent SC population in the state.

The moment Rahul Gandhi, who was in Ludhiana to address a virtual rally, made public the chief ministerial face, cheers erupted from the listening crowd.

"I sincerely thank the Congress High Command and people of Punjab for bestowing their trust in me," Channi tweeted after he was named the chief ministertial face of the Congress for the February 20 Punjab Assembly elections.

I sincerely thank the Congress High Command and people of Punjab for bestowing their trust in me. As you have seen us work so hard in the last 111 days to take Punjab forward, I assure you to take Punjab and Punjabis on the path of progress with new zeal and dedication. pic.twitter.com/7jW1rBhEkj

— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) February 6, 2022

Channi’s supporters broke into celebrations in front of his house at Morinda in Chamkaur Sahib.

Waving Congress flags, they burst crackers and danced on the beats of 'dhol'.

Congress supporters also celebrated Channi’s nomination as CM face outside the venue of the virtual rally in Ludhiana.

Sidhu has been saying that he would abide by the party high command’s decision with a rider that the choice of the candidate should be on the basis of honesty and not seen as part of the mafia.

Amid the argument till the last moment that no one should be announced the chief ministerial face as it will give handle to the Opposition and demoralise the leader left out. Sidhu had said 60 MLAs will be needed to form the government and people will vote only for the CM candidate with a clean image.

HIGHLIGHTS

17:06: Channi takes the stage, thanks Rahul, Congress, and Punjab for reposing faith in him

17:02: Punjab's CM candidate is Charanjit Singh Channi: Rahul Gandhi

17:01: People said we want a CM who understands poverty: Rahul Gandhi

17:00: I said in Parliament that there are two nations. One of the rich and the other of the poor. We don't want two Indias. We want one that is equal: Rahul Gandhi

16:59: Sidhu told me in the car today that this state is the shield of the country. This state must choose its own leader: Rahul Gandhi

16:57: You've asked me to choose a CM. This is Punjab's choice, not mine: Rahul Gandhi

16:55: Rahul says Congress wants a partnership with Punjab and its people, they must tell what we should do

16:54: Says doorstep delivery of certificates is Sidhu's vision

16:53: He's come to change. So has Sidhu, and Jakhar: Rahul Gandhi

16:52: Rahul calls Channi humble, says he remains connected with people. "Does Narendra Modi do that," he asks. "Does Yogi Adityanath do that?"

16:50: Talks about Channi, says he's from a poor family, understands poverty. Has Punjab in his blood. 

16:49: Congress makes leaders. They grow within the party: Rahul Gandhi

16:47: Rahul says he asked Sunil Jakhar about Punjab politics. He knows Punjab's DNA, understands its history: Rahul Gandhi

16:46: I realised then that this man has perseverance: Rahul Gandhi on Sidhu

16:44: I met Sidhu 40 years ago. Sidhu does not know he met me 40 years ago: Rahul Gandhi

16:33: I was given a responsibility: To find a diamond among diamonds. That's an not easy task: Rahul Gandhi

16:32: Our PM fights, but he fights his own fight: Rahul Gandhi

16:30: Rahul Gandhi begins his speech. A leader must struggle, a leader must fight, he says 

16:32: Channi trains guns at AAP, calls former Congress Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang as mafia, says most leaders, candidates in AAP are turncoats from Congress

16:26: I promise the people of Punjab that I will never buy any property in my name or my wife's name: Channi; says allegations against him are false

16:25: Channi thanks Rahul Gandhi for giving him the chance to serve as CM for 111 days, lists his achievements

16:23: "Over 700 people died for their livelihoods. Who's responsible? First, and the biggest, is the BJP. Someone who's complicit is just as responsible. So SAD's responsible. AAP notified one of the black laws, so AAP's responsible": Channi

16:20: Channi takes the stage

16:16: Sidhu ke ishq ne Punjab ki Bhalai maangi. I've accepted Rahul Gandhi's decision long ago: Sidhu (My love for Punjab asks only for its well being) 

16:12: After Sidhu asked him to clap, Channi walks over to Sidhu and hugs him

16:10: Sidhu said he left his family and Rs 50-crore business for the cause of Punjab, urged Rahul Gandhi to keep him as the "foundation stone" of the party. Don't treat me like a showpiece, he says 

16:07: Navjot Singh Sidhu is Punjab's "aashiq": Sidhu

16:05: Sidhu also hails Rahul Gandhi for elevating Charanjit Singh Channi, whom he called "poor Dalit", as Punjab CM

16:03: Captain Amarinder Singh was BJP's puppet: Sidhu

16:02: Navjot Singh Sidhu calls Rahul Gandhi "Babbar Sher", says he's grateful for being made PPCC president

15:59: Sidhu takes the stage.

15:55: Rahul Gandhi and the Congress made a Dalit man chief minister; no other party has done this: Sunil Jakhar.

15:53: The road to India's central government goes through Punjab: Sunil Jakhar.

15:50: Jakhar rakes up Lakhimpur Kheri incident, says Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi faced the wrath of UP police to visit aggrieved families but no leader from other parties bothered to go there.

15:49: Sunil Jakhar first speaker at virtual rally. Jakhar says BJP, AAP, SAD hands-in-glove; calls them all anti-farmer.

15:40: Rahul Gandhi reaches dais, pays tributes to Lata Mangeshkar. Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu were seated on either side.

15:28: Rahul Gandhi leaves for Harsheela Resort.

14:50: MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu and Amar Singh take seats on the dais at the rally venue.

14:40: Party jingles played outside at the venue.

13:30: Gandhi holds a closed-door meeting in Ludhiana’s Hyatt residence with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, AICC general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal also present.

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