Incumbent chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has been elected as the chief ministerial candidate for the Congress for the upcoming Punjab assembly polls. The announcement was made by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Ludhiana.
After being elected as the CM face for the state, Channi said, I thank everyone. This is a big battle which I can't fight alone. I don't have the money, courage to fight it. The people of Punjab will fight this battle.
Rahul Gandhi, during a virtual rally, said today, It was a difficult decision but the people of Punjab made it easy as they wanted a CM who comes from a poor family.
“It is a decision of Punjab. It is not my decision. I haven't decided. I asked workers, candidates, MLAs, people, the youth of Punjab..what people said has led me to my final decision," Rahul Gandhi said adding that Congress is a party of diamonds and it is not easy to pick one among them.
"People of Punjab said we need a CM from 'gareeb ghar' (poor family)," said Gandhi.
For the last few weeks, Channi and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu have, directly or indirectly, made a case to be declared as the party's nominee for the top post. "During 17 years of a political career, Sidhu never lived for any post, but always wanted Punjab's betterment and improvement in lives of its people," said Sidhu
