Sonia, Rahul back Charanjit's candidature as new CM, play Dalit card

Congress high command announced Sikh-Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi as the Congress Legislature Party leader in Punjab. He is being chosen as a replacement for Captain Amrinder Singh, who resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Saturday. Congress National General Secretary Rahul Gandhi congratulated Channi after he got elected as the CLP leader.

Chandigarh: Congress high command announced Sikh-Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi as the Congress Legislature Party leader in Punjab. He is being chosen as a replacement for Captain Amrinder Singh, who resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Saturday. Congress National General Secretary Rahul Gandhi congratulated Channi after he got elected as the CLP leader.

The central observers on Saturday evening had a meeting with 78 Congress MLAs, but couldn't decide the name of the CLP leader and then the meeting was deferred to Sunday. Following a day-long marathon discussions, finally, Channi's name was announced late this evening.

The speculations started from the morning. The MLAs started to gather at a five-star hotel in Chandigarh to meet the central leaders. Also, many MLAs reached Sunil Jakhar's house at Panchkula with flowers to greet him, but the very next hour another set of MLAs and senior leaders also gathered at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa's official residence in sector-39 Chandigarh.

The strong speculations were making rounds that the name of Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has almost been cleared and the final announcement expected to make in a short while. This reports had a strong reason to be true, as Randhawa proceeded to Punjab Raj Bhawan to stake a claim for CM post, but his convoy suddenly stopped at the home of one of the MLA's situated near Raj Bhawan.

Meanwhile, media attention turned to Delhi where the party's National General Secretary Rahul Gandhi was holding a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and after one and half hours, the party's in-charge of Punjab affairs, Harish Rawat, sought time from Punjab Governor. At the same time, Channi reached the place where the central leaders were discussing.

Surprisingly party state president Navjot Sidhu, who remained away from the spotlight for four hours, also joined them and then Rawat tweeted that Rahul Gandhi was pleased to announce the name of Charanjit Singh Channi as the CLP leader. Channi along with central leaders and Sidhu then reached the Punjab Raj Bhawan to meet the Governor. After meeting with the governor, Channi told the media that Congress has staked claim before Banwarilal Purohit and requested for a swearing-in ceremony at 11 am on Monday.

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, whose name was at the forefront in the race of the CM post, was also present at these proceedings. Moreover, it is also a big surprise that Captain Amrinder Singh has greeted Channi on his appointment. The tussle within Congress seems to have ended with the replacement of Captain Amrinder Singh as Punjab Chief Minister.

Channi who was a minister in Captain's outgoing cabinet, had openly opposed Amrinder Singh and took a clear stand that he doesn't accept Captain as CM. Channi has also played a big role in leading the anti-Captain campaign within the party. By choosing Charanjit Singh Channi for the CM post, the Congress high command also played SC card in Punjab to counter the move of Shiromani Akali Dal, who has an alliance with the Bahujan Samajwadi Party(BSP), to woo the SC voters in the state for coming Legislative Assembly election.