What the Congress may be striving for by appointing Charanjit Singh Channi as Punjab’s chief minister

Charanjit Singh Channi, the first Dalit chief minister of Punjab after independence, takes the oath of CM office today. The Congress party has chosen Charanjit Singh Channi to succeed former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who resigned after a series of disagreements with Navjot Singh Sidhu.?

In the forthcoming elections, the Punjab Congress is keeping a close check on the SC/ST vote bank.?

Rahul Gandhi congratulated Charanjit Singh Channi after the announcement saying: “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.”

Charanjit Singh Channi, a member of the Punjab Congress from the Rupnagar area, is known as the Dalit face of the party. By electing him as the party’s leader, Congress hopes to win the support of up to 30% of Punjab’s main Dalit voters in the state’s next assembly elections.

Charanjit Singh Channi, a law and MBA graduate, was one among the cabinet ministers who defied former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh last month. In the assembly, he represents the Chamkaur Sahib constituency. Ambika Soni was the first pick for CM, however, she declined because of her health concerns and old age.

The move, according to the Congress national secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, is empowering for India’s Dalits and backward communities. “By appointing Punjab’s first Dalit Chief Minister as Sardar Charanjit Channi, @INCIndia makes history,” he said. Let history record that this verdict would strengthen social justice and open new doors of empowerment for our Dalit, Backward, and Disadvantaged brothers and sisters throughout India.”

Over the last few months, Charanjit Singh Channi, backed by Navjot Singh Siddhu, has been vociferous in his criticism of Captain Amarinder Singh. The Punjab Congress may face additional hurdles as a result of the new CM’s appointment. The former chief minister continues to criticize Navjot Singh Sidhu over his supposed ties to Pakistan and border security issues in Punjab. He also doesn’t get along well with Rahul Gandhi.?

According to previous reports, Sukhjinder Randhawa was the leading candidate for the role of Punjab’s new chief minister. The congress party left people guessing about the new CM until Charanjit Singh Channi’s confirmation cleared the air.?

In choosing the CM of Punjab, the party’s high command used a cast calculation. This could have been done to solely obtain the correct cast equation. For the next six months, they will have a Dalit and Jat Sikh visage.

The effort is to bring the Aam Aadmi Party, the BJP, and the Akali Dal’s alliance with the BJP to a halt. To win support, the BJP is also pushing for a Dalit face against Congress. Punjab has a new captain as their commander, which is a dramatic shift.

In the Dalit community, Charanjit Singh Channi is a well-known face of the Punjab Congress. He was a minister of technical education. He also served as the Punjab Youth Congress’s president. The BJP has been accusing Charanjit Singh Channi, bringing up “me too” allegations on him of the past.?

In some ways, Congress may have taken a risky step. It will be interesting to see how Congress handles the transition to a new chief minister.?

Sunil Jakhar, the former Punjab Congress chief, spoke to India Today but refused to comment on Navjot Singh Sidhu. He stated that the divisive agenda will not succeed in Punjab. He went on to say that the party stands united and that Harish Rawat’s statement was irresponsible.?

“The Congress’s face for the upcoming state assembly elections will be decided by the Congress president,” Harish Rawat told ANI. He further added that given the circumstances, elections will be fought with the chief minister’s cabinet under the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, whose chief is Navjot Singh Sidhu, most popular among others.