AMN / CHANDIGARH
Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn in the new Chief Minister of Punjab today at Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. He became the 16th Chief Minister of the state. Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered him oath of office and secrecy. Along with him, two senior MLAs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and O. P. Soni also took the oath as Cabinet Ministers. They will be the Deputy Chief Ministers in the government. Mr Soni is a Member of Legislative Assembly from Amritsar central while Mr Randhawa is an MLA from Dera Baba Nanak.
At the last minute, the name of Brahm Mohindra was replaced by O. P. Soni. There were reports that senior Congress leader Brahm Mohindra refused to accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, State Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu, Assembly Speaker Rana K. P. Singh, Rajya Sabha Member Ambika Soni were also present on this occasion. Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh did not attend the ceremony.
Mr Channi replaced the Captain Amarinder Singh, who had resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Saturday after being allegedly humiliated by the party.
New Punjab CM promises to put an immediate end to the ‘Mafia raj’
Our Correspondent
New Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi today promised to put an immediate end to the mafia raj. He also announced waiving the domestic water and sewerage bills, besides reducing the power tariff, of the poor in rural and urban areas.
The Cabinet on Monday itself will decide on containing the sand mafia.
Maintaining that the “government of the poor, for the poor and with the poor” would run in a transparent manner, Channi said the poor and the needy would not be harassed in any government office.
Addressing the media after taking over as the CM, Channi broke down as he thanked the Congress leadership for choosing “an aam aadmi (common man)” for the top post.
Claiming that he would end corruption in government offices, Channi said “either corrupt officers would stay or I would stay”.
“I am the aam aadmi sitting here while other parties keep talking about aam aadmi. This is the aam aadmi sarkar. It has to take many decisions for Punjab,” said Channi, flanked by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and AICC Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat.
“My father used to fix tents,” he said, his voice choking.
Channi included his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh in his thanks-giving note.
Channi is the first Dalit Sikh to become the Chief Minister of Punjab. He has two deputies, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Om Prakash Soni.