News Analysis India

Tag: Amarinder resignation

  • Charanjit Singh Channi to be next CM of Punjab, Capt Amarinder offers ‘best wishes’

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Congress’ Dalit face Charanjit Singh Channi was elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Punjab on Sunday and will be the next chief minister, succeeding Amarinder Singh who resigned a day ago following a bitter power tussle in the party.

    AICC general secretary Harish Rawat said in a tweet, “”It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Sh. #CharanjitSinghChanni has been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab.” 

    Channi (58), a minister in the outgoing Amarinder Singh cabinet, comes from the Dalit community. Channi’s selection assumes significance as the dissension-riven Congress faces the Assembly polls in less than five months.

    The BJP had earlier announced that if voted to power in Punjab, it will make a Dalit the chief minister, while the SAD, which is fighting the coming polls in alliance with the BSP, had said that its Deputy Chief Minister would be from the Dalit community.

    Channi met the Punjab Governor and staked claim to form government, sources said, adding that Rawat and the party’s central observers Ajay Maken and Harish Chaudhary accompanied him.

    Charanjit Singh Channi will be new Punjab Chief Minister of Punjab he is elected as new CLP leader#Pb @Newindianxpress, @TheMornStandard, @gsvasu_TNIE, @khogensingh1
    — Harpreet Singh Bajwa (@Harpreet_TNIE) September 19, 2021
    Amarinder Singh said he hopes that Channi is able to keep the border state of Punjab safe. “My best wishes to Charanjit Singh Channi. 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 said.

    Earlier, senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was said to be the frontrunner for the post.

    However, after Channi’s name was announced, Randhawa said, “I welcome the decision of the party high command.” Another senior leader, Brahm Mohindra, too welcomed the election of Channi, who is considered close to state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

    Early in the day, hectic talks were held to finalise the name of new leader of the CLP, a day after Amarinder Singh resigned as the chief minister amid a bitter power tussle with Sidhu.

    Rawat, Maken and Harish Chaudhary who have been camping at a hotel here held discussions with the MLAs and took their feedback. 

  • Sukhjinder Singh Randhwa likely to be next Punjab chief minister 

    By Online Desk

    After discussion with the Punjab MLAs, the AICC on Sunday proposed the name of Sukhjinder Randhawa for the post of chief minister, ANI reported. A meeting is underway at the residence of Rahul Gandhi with Ambika Soni in Delhi, sources said.

    “All MLAs have named Sukhjinder Randhawa for CM before Congress high command, he will become the CM,” Congress MLA Pritam Kotbhai told ANI.

    Earlier in the day, Randhwa, a minister in the outgoing cabinet of Amarinder Singh, asserted that he has never hankered after posts.

    When the media persons here asked that can it be assumed that they are talking to the future chief minister, Randhawa quipped, ” You are talking to a Congressman”.

    In a veiled dig at Amarinder Singh, he then added, “A chief minister remains (in his post) only till the time when his party, people of the state stand by him”.

    Congress veteran Capt. Amarinder Singh resigned as chief minister of Punjab with less than five months to go for the Assembly polls after a bruising power struggle with state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, and had said that he felt “humiliated” over the way the party handled the protracted crisis.

    (With PTI inputs)