Chandigarh: Sending a strong message, Charanjit Singh Channi, who is also the first Dalit Chief minister of the state, was seen touching Navjot Singh Sidhu's feet.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday declared Charanjit Singh Channi as his party's chief ministerial face for the high-stakes Punjab Assembly polls.
Gandhi made this announcement while addressing a virtual rally here.
"People of Punjab said we need a CM from 'gareeb ghar' (poor family)," said Gandhi.
The other main contender for the party's CM face was Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, a Jat Sikh face.
Thereafter, all three leaders - Rahul Gandhi, Navjot Sidhu, Charanjit Channi - were group hugging. And then in a big show of strength, they raised their hands in the air, ending weeks of speculation about the infighting in the party and sending out the message of solidarity.
After Congress' former president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced Charanjit Singh Channi as the Chief Minister face for upcoming assembly polls in Punjab, the CM said that he can't fight this battle alone and he does not have the money, courage to fight it.
The move is understandably aimed at swinging 32% Dalit votes en bloc in Congress’ favour, as well as cutting into the emerging Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) vote bank in the Malwa region, as Channi is also contesting from Bhadaur (reserved) seat in the Malwa belt.
This is besides his original seat, Chamkaur Sahib (reserved), in district Rupnagar in Doaba, the region which has the biggest Dalit vote bank.
Punjab has a 32 % scheduled caste population, the highest in the country, and 34 reserved seats. The Doaba region, with 23 seats, has a Scheduled Caste (SC) population ranging from 25% to 75%. Among the other two regions, Malwa has a total of 69 assembly seats and Majha, 25, where Dalit votes, though less, would also have an impact.
Channi thanking everyone said, "This is a big battle which I can't fight alone and I don't have the money, courage to fight it."
"The people of Punjab will fight this battle," he added.
"People of Punjab said we need a CM from 'gareeb ghar' (poor family)," said Gandhi during the rally.
The party had taken feedback from its leaders and workers, and had also sought the opinion of the public on who should be its chief ministerial candidate through an automated call system.
