Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 20
Ahead of his oath-taking ceremony, Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab chief minister-designate on Monday morning paid obeisance at gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib at Chamkaur Sahib.
Channi arriving around 7 am. Channi was accompanied with his family.
After paying obeisance, he sat in the hall to attend shabad kirtan before leaving. He also obliged the people present on the occasion when they asked requested him for pictures with them.
The 58-year-old three-time legislator from Chamkaur Sahib assembly constituency in Rupnagar district had joined the Congress in 2012 and was holding the portfolios of Technical Education, Industrial Training, Employment Generation and Tourism and Cultural Affairs in the outgoing Amarinder Singh-led cabinet.
He had along with three other ministers rebelled against Amarinder Singh while choosing to side with the camp of state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
With barely five months left for the assembly polls, the announcement of a Dalit face as chief minister by the Congress assumes significance as Dalits constitute nearly 32 per cent of the state’s population. The Doaba region — Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar and Kapurthala districts — has the highest population of Dalits.
Ahead of taking oath, Punjab’s CM-designate Channi visits Katalgarh Sahib gurdwara at Chamkaur Sahib
{$excerpt:n}
