New Delhi/Amritsar, Feb 5
The Congress is likely to bet on Charanjit Singh Channi as its chief ministerial candidate for the February 20 Punjab elections aiming to strengthen its pledge for Scheduled Caste empowerment in the state and the nation.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to make the announcement at a virtual rally scheduled to be held in Ludhiana on Sunday. AICC sources said the party’s internal surveys had put Channi ahead of others “by a huge margin”. The Congress is learnt to have reached out to a cross-section of party workers, leaders and contestants to get a view on the issue.
In Amritsar, PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu today asserted that the CM face, his character and morality would decide whether or not the party’s party’s 60 nominees would be elected as MLAs. Sidhu said only a person who had the roadmap for bringing Punjab out of mafia rule and economic crisis and having the people’s faith in him could ensure the victory of 60 candidates (59 magic mark in 117-seat House) in the poll. Emphasising that people should elect an honest leader at the top, he said the party high command was “mature enough to take the best decision”.
“It’s time for the people of Punjab to make the big decision… to decide who has the vision and should be the face to win 60 MLAs and implement the roadmap to change the state’s future for the better. But, nobody is talking about the roadmap and issues concerning the people,” he pointed out.
Sidhu, contesting from Amritsar East, was speaking to the media during a public meeting at Dashmesh Avenue where former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s grandson resides. The cricketer-turned-politician along with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi are frontrunners to be the CM face.
Earlier, former AAP MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi extended his support to Sidhu. — TNS
Sidhu: Cong’s victory will depend on it
AICC sources said the party’s internal surveys show Channi way ahead of others. A source said some MLAs seen close to PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu too have batted for Channi
GAUGING THE MOOD
The Cong is said to have made over 3,000 video-recordings of workers and voters to gauge the mood on the CM issue.
Rahul Gandhi to name Punjab’s CM face today
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