Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 20 (ANI): Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn in as Chief Minister of Punjab on Monday. Governor Banwarilal Purihot also administered the oath of office to Congress leaders Sukhjinder S Randhawa and OP Soni as ministers in the state cabinet. The swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh was attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Congress in Charge Harish Rawat and Punjab Pradesh Congress Commitee (PPCC) Navjot Singh Sidhu.
On Sunday, Channi was unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab and is set to take over as next Chief Minister following Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation. Channi a three-time MLA from Rupnagar’s Chamkaur Sahib – is Punjab‘s first Dalit Chief Minister. He has served as Technical Education Minister in the Captain Amarinder Singh government.
According to the official website of the Punjab Government, Channi remained Municipal Councilor for three terms and moved on to become the President of Municipal Council Kharar for a two-term. He was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Chamkaur Sahib Consistency for the first time in 2007. He was elected to the assembly seat again in 2012 and then in 2017. In 2015, Channi was elected as Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
In 2017, he was appointed as the Cabinet Minister for Technical Education and Industrial Training, Employment Generation and also Science and Technology in the government of Punjab. On Sunday, after several rounds of parleys, Channi was selected for the post by the party high command, following Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation.
Amarinder Singh on Saturday submitted his resignation to state Governor Banwarilal Purohit, following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
These development came months before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.
Punjab govt standing with farmers, common man, says Charanjit Singh Channi after taking oath
Soon after taking the oath of office, the newly-sworn in Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said his government is standing with farmers and will appeal to the Centre to withdraw the three farm laws. In his first interaction with media after taking the oath, Chief Minister said he is representative of poor sections of society including daily wage labourers and farmers. “I am not the representative of rich. I am representative of common man of Punjab,” he said.
Channi also said his government will immediately waive the water and electricity bills of farmers. “Punjab government stands with the farmers. We appeal to the Centre to withdraw the three farm laws…We will waive water and electricity bills of farmers,” said the Chief Minister. A seemingly emotional Channi said he comes from a poor family, and “Congress has made a common man the chief minister.”
Thanking Congress high command for the decision to name him as the Chief Minister, he said, “Rahul Gandhi is a revolutionary leader. He read the mind of common people.” The new Chief Minister also praised the predecessor, Captain Amarinder Singh. “Captain did a lot of good work for the people of Punjab. We will take his work forward,” he said. “The new government does not have any vendetta against anyone. We will work on all the agenda’s proposed by the Congress party,” stated Channi.
He added that the party is supreme, not the Chief Minister or the cabinet. “The government will work as per the party’s ideology.” Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat, along with Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni accompanied the New Chief Minister during the media interaction.
Soon after taking oath as Punjab Chief Minister, Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday ordered a major administrative reshuffle. Senior IAS officer Hussan Lal has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister in place of Tejveer Singh. Rahul Tiwari has been appointed as Special Principal Secretary replacing Gurkeerat Kirpal Singh, a close aide of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.(ANI)
