CHANDIGARH: Three-time Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi was on Monday sworn in as the first Dalit Sikh CM of Punjab along with two deputy Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat besides PCC President Navjot Singh Sidhu also attended the function.
While the party leadership has tried to strike a caste balance by choosing Randhawa (a Jat Sikh) and Soni (a Hindu) with the party’s Dalit face for the top post, the selection of the deputy CM was not without drama – which was the previous day. Channi was also seen in choosing.
Party insiders said Rawat had spoken to six-time MLA Brahm Mohindra on Sunday night for the deputy CM’s post and later received congratulatory calls from senior party leaders. AICC National Treasurer Pawan Bansal also tweeted and congratulated Mohindra and Randhawa as Deputy CMs. But things changed by Monday morning, with the perception of former CM Amarinder Singh being from the camp working against Mohindra. In the end, the leadership settled for Soni, a five-time MLA.
In his first remarks after being sworn in, Channi, who took the oath of office and secrecy in Punjabi, appealed to the Center to do away with three controversial agricultural laws. He also told the agenda of his government and said that financially weak people would be provided relief by cutting electricity and water bills and sand mafia would be wiped out from the state. Channi also promised to resolve the pending issues of the state employees.
In his first press conference as CM, accompanied by Sidhu and Rawat, Channi said: “Punjab is an agricultural economy and if there is any threat to the agriculture sector, we will make any sacrifice. I appeal to the Center to withdraw three agriculture laws. The economy of the state is dependent on the agriculture sector. We support the farmers’ movement.”
Announcing several relief measures, he said electricity for the agriculture sector should continue to be free. “However, the water supply bill for rural area also should not be given. Bills ranging from 10 to 30 lakhs are pending and the cabinet will waive them… Water supply and sewerage bills will not be taken for houses up to 150 or 200 square yards in urban areas. AICC’s 18-point agenda will be implemented one by one without delay.
Recalling his humble origins, he said that he stood for the common man. “I am the representative of the rickshaw pullers, I myself pulled a rickshaw. My father had a tent house and I used to carry chairs from house to house.” He recalled the struggle of his parents in a house without a proper roof or floor. “The Congress high command has chosen a common man who had nothing. Rahul Gandhi is a revolutionary leader who stands for Dalits,” he said.
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