Congress names Channi as CM face for Punjab

New Delhi: After over an hour of a closed-door meeting, the Congress on Sunday picked incumbent Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief ministerial face of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi made the announcement at a rally in Ludhiana amid loud cheers, saying, "The CM face of Punjab is Charanjit Singh Channi. We asked Punjab and you have given us the decision. It was a tough decision to make. Punjab needs a leader who can understand the poor, feel their anxiety."

"The whole of Congress will now work towards the vision of transforming Punjab," Rahul said, inviting Channi to say a few words after the announcement.

"This is a big fight. I am thankful to Punjab for choosing me as the CM hopeful of the Congress. I sincerely thank the Congress high command and people of Punjab for bestowing their trust in me. As you have seen us work so hard in the last 111 days to take Punjab forward, I assure you to take Punjab and Punjabis on the path of progress with new zeal and dedication," Channi said.

Before declaring Channi as the CM candidate, Rahul said, "I asked him (Channi) what his father did for a living. Do you know his life? He understands poverty. Deeply so." He added, "Punjab is Hindustan's shield. This state has to choose its leader on its own. My job is to hear and understand your voice. I can have an opinion, but your opinion matters most. All our leaders are gems and I was given the tough task of choosing one of them."The Congress, this time, decided to go with a CM candidate with other senior leaders in Punjab insisting on it. Since AAP has picked Bhagwant Mann to be party's CM face in the State, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as well as the BJP-led alliance have not made any official announcements yet. Punjab polls will be held in single phase on February 20.

There was an apparent "standoff" between Channi and state unit chief of Congress Navjot Singh Sidhu with both staking a claim to become the CM face of the Congress in Punjab. But it seems that Channi came out victorious, with Gandhi announcing his name at a rally in Ludhiana. The meeting was held between Gandhi, Channi and Sidhu. Sidhu and other senior Congress leaders like Sunil Jakhar, who announced his retirement from "active politics" earlier in the day, were also present.