Sunil Jakhar hits at Rawat over 'Congress to fight 2022 Punjab polls under Navjot Sidhu' statement

Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat statement that the 2022 state assembly elections will be fought under the state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu drew sharp criticism from veteran Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, saying Rawat’s statement is "baffling" and likely to "undermine CM's authority".

Chandigarh:Hours before Sikh-Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi is to take oath as Punjab Chief Minister, state Congress in-charge Harish Rawat said the state assembly elections will be fought under Navjot Singh Sidhu who is "very popular". Rawat's untimely statement did not go down well with other senior Congress leaders who minced no words in taking on Rawat down.

Punjab veteran Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, who was on the top of the list to succeed Captain Amarinder Singh, lashed out at Rawat for his ill-timed views. "On the swearing-in day of Sh @Charnjit_channi as Chief Minister, Mr Rawats’s statement that "elections will be fought under Sidhu”, is baffling. It’s likely to undermine CM’s authority but also negate the very 'raison d’être' of his selection for this position," tweeted Jakhar.

The BJP was quick to take on Rawat too. Amit Malviya, national in-charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) IT cell tweeted: "This is a huge insult to the entire Dalit community if Charanjit Singh Channi has been made the CM, only to hold the seat for Navjot Singh Sidhu, the chosen Gandhi family loyalist. This completely undermines the Dalit empowerment narrative being peddled by the Congress. Shame."

Earlier speaking to a media agency, Rawat said, "It (Congress face for upcoming state assembly polls) will be decided by the Congress president, but given the circumstances, elections will be fought with the Chief Minister's cabinet under Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, whose chief is Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is very popular."

"The decision (to choose the new Punjab CM) was taken yesterday only... The party was unanimous on Charanjit Singh Channi's name. We will try to ensure that he (Amarinder Singh) is there at oath-taking, but it's up to him," said Rawat.

He said that the names for two deputy chief ministers are yet to be decided. "Our mutual feeling is that there should be two deputy CMs. Soon we will take a call on it along with names for the Council of Ministers. Some names have been discussed but it's the CM's prerogative who will discuss it with party high command and takes a call," the former Uttarakhand chief minister said.

Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi will take the oath as the new Chief Minister of Punjab on Monday at 11 am on Monday.

Addressing media after meeting Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the Chief Minister-designate of Punjab said, "We have presented our stance, unanimously supported by party MLAs, before the Governor. Oath taking ceremony will take place at 11 am tomorrow."

Channi will succeed Captain Amarinder Singh, who resigned as the chief minister of Punjab on Saturday following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.