Brahm Mohindra, Sukhjinder Randhawa to be Punjab Deputy CMs
WEB DESK
The All India Congress Committee cleared the name of Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi as the new Chief Minister of Punjab—a development that comes after a day of hectic political activity that saw pulls and pressures from several claimants.
Channi said he will take oath as Punjab Chief Minister at 11 am on Monday.
Channi will become the first Dalit Sikh leader to become the chief minister, although his term would be short given that the state would vote for a new assembly early next year. He was the leader of the opposition from 2015 until 2017 when Congress was voted to power.
Harish Rawat, the AICC General Secretary in charge of Punjab, made a formal announcement on Sunday evening.
“It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Sh. Charanjit Singh Channi has been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab,” Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat said.
Punjab CM-designate Charanjit Singh Channi reached Governor’s house with AICC observers. Governor Banwarilal Purohit had called senior Congress leaders, including Channi and Rawat, to meet him.
Outgoing Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh greeted Charanjit Singh Channi.
Capt Amarinder Singh said, “My best wishes to Charanjit Singh Channi. I hope he’s able to keep the border state of Punjab safe and protect our people from the growing security threat from across the border.”
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With Dalit leader Charanjit Channi being made the Chief Minister, the party high command in an effort to balance the caste combination late Sunday night announced appointment of senior ministers Brahm Mohindra and Sukhjinder Randhawa as Deputy CMs .
AICC treasurer and senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal tweeted about the appointment of the two.
In the outgoing Congress government, Brahm Mohindra, a confidant of Capt Amarinder Singh was the senior-most minister. On the other hand, Sukhjinder Randhawa, who was once very close to Capt Amarinder Singh, had parted ways with the former CM after differences over fulfilling poll promises.
Choice of two Deputy CMs shows that in the new Cabinet the party high command was also trying to adjust leaders close to Capt Amarinder Singh. The same approach could reflect in choice of other Cabinet ministers.