Charanjit Channi frontrunner for Punjab CM face

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, February 2

Incumbent Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is “much ahead” in the race for Congress’ CM face in election-bound Punjab, preliminary surveys conducted by the party show.

The surveys are ongoing with AICC sources telling The Tribune that the CM face will be announced after the withdrawal of nominations ends on February 4.

Factors at play

• Channi has an old association with the Congress
• He has been the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly
• Most MLAs see themselves in a better winning position with Channi as the CM face

The party is undertaking a vast exercise to gauge the mood of the organisation in Punjab, reaching out to every MLA, state unit office-bearer, worker, frontal organisation member through private calls and interactive voice response system.

Feedback is being separately sought on the party app “Shakti”. “Preliminary responses show Charanjit Singh Channi ahead in the race by a huge distance,” a senior Congress functionary said. The consultation process was still underway and the idea was to involve all workers, he added.

The Congress is, meanwhile, discussing the format for the announcement of the CM face in Punjab, whether through a physical rally addressed by Rahul Gandhi in Punjab or a virtual one. Current thinking favoured an announcement through a virtual rally, but that could change, sources said.