Channi Or Sidhu? Congress Likely To Announce CM Face For Upcoming Punjab Assembly Polls Today

Last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said the party will go into the Punjab Assembly polls with a CM face and the decision on it will be taken soon after consulting party workers.

Punjab Assembly Election 2022 Latest Update: With Punjab Assembly Elections round the corner, it seems the reports of intensified infighting in the state Congress over chief ministerial candidate has pushed the party’s top leadership to take some important decisions. According to a India TV report, the Congress is likely to announce its chief ministerial face today evening for the Punjab Polls.

However, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has rubbished all such reports and said that there is no infighting within the Congress over the CM face. Talking to India TV, CM Channi said that there was no infighting within the Congress over CM face even as both — Channi and Sidhu have been pitching their candidature for the post.

Last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said the party will go into the Punjab Assembly polls with a CM face and the decision on it will be taken soon after consulting party workers. Addressing a virtual rally in Jalandhar, Gandhi said Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu have assured him that whoever is chosen as the CM face, the other will support him.

Over the past several weeks, both Channi and Sidhu have indicated, directly or indirectly, keenness to be declared as the party’s CM face. Differences in the party continued to simmer even after the ouster of Amarinder Singh as the CM and Channi’s elevation to the post.

Earlier in the day, in a show of unity, Rahul Gandhi led party candidates to the Amritsar’s Golden Temple, where they offered prayers and sat for a langar. Rahul at the rally said both Channi and Sidhu told him that the biggest question in Punjab is who will lead the Congress in the state.

“Media people call it the chief ministerial candidate,” he said.

“Normally, we do not do this, but if the Congress party, our workers and Punjab want this, then we will take a decision on the CM face for you, Gandhi said. The demand for declaring chief ministerial face will be met at the earliest, he said.

“We will take this decision after consulting our workers. And the person will take Punjab ahead and others will work as a team,” he said. “Both Sidhu and Channi gave me an assurance that two people cannot lead and only one can lead. Both told me whoever leads, the other will put all his energy behind him,” said Gandhi.