BATHINDA: Punjab Congress’s former president Sunil Jakhar has claimed that 42 MLAs had voted for him to be the chief minister of the state after the unceremonious exit of Amarinder Singh last year, while Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had got 16 votes. Interestingly, he has claimed that Charanjit Singh Channi, who has finally replaced Amarinder Singh as CM, had got only two votes while Navjot Singh Sidhu had got six and MP Preneet Kaur, 12.
The claims were made by Jakhar while addressing a public meeting in Abohar assembly constituency from where his nephew Sandeep Jakhar is contesting. It all started at a meeting, with workers saying that Channi has got projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in his area. Reacting to it, Jakhar said that projects worth Rs 750 crore are already under progress in Abohar and “had I got the chance as per choice of MLAs, much more would have been spent”.
Asked why the party had not heeded to the popular choice, Jakhar told TOI that though Congress is a secular party, somehow there is a perception that only a Sikh should be the chief minister. “It was not the decision of Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, but a few leaders from Punjab and Delhi made them take the decision. I have no remorse that despite getting maximum votes of MLAs I was not considered because I was not a Sikh. Thought it does pain me and is not even fair, I respect the decision,” he said.
“I was not even an MLA and not even the state Congress president anymore, even then 42 MLA preferred me as the replacement. I take solace in this and not complain as to why I was not made CM. The party took the decision in favor of Punjab,” he added. “Whenever some questions are raised on choice of officers, I differ saying we should not undermine the authority of any office and likewise, when the party took the decision in its best interest, and of Punjab, I have elaborated only on the reality and on what transpired,” he said.
It was only a telephonic call to all the MLAs, asking about who should be in the chair after Amarinder, said Jakhar. “At this point of time, when elections are round the corner, we should not go to people to ask their choice for party face,” he added. “As Channi was made the chief minister, I was offered the post of deputy chief minister, which I had politely declined,” he claimed. After Channi was made the chief minister, he did a good job in whatever time of less than four months he had, he added.
Jakhar is presently the chief of the campaign committee chief assembly elections in Punjab. Amarinder was made to resign as the chief minister by the Congress amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Sidhu. The chances of Jakhar becoming the chief minister were scuttled after the statement of senior Congress leader Ambika Soni who had said the party should go with a Sikh face.
The claims were made by Jakhar while addressing a public meeting in Abohar assembly constituency from where his nephew Sandeep Jakhar is contesting. It all started at a meeting, with workers saying that Channi has got projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in his area. Reacting to it, Jakhar said that projects worth Rs 750 crore are already under progress in Abohar and “had I got the chance as per choice of MLAs, much more would have been spent”.
Asked why the party had not heeded to the popular choice, Jakhar told TOI that though Congress is a secular party, somehow there is a perception that only a Sikh should be the chief minister. “It was not the decision of Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, but a few leaders from Punjab and Delhi made them take the decision. I have no remorse that despite getting maximum votes of MLAs I was not considered because I was not a Sikh. Thought it does pain me and is not even fair, I respect the decision,” he said.
“I was not even an MLA and not even the state Congress president anymore, even then 42 MLA preferred me as the replacement. I take solace in this and not complain as to why I was not made CM. The party took the decision in favor of Punjab,” he added. “Whenever some questions are raised on choice of officers, I differ saying we should not undermine the authority of any office and likewise, when the party took the decision in its best interest, and of Punjab, I have elaborated only on the reality and on what transpired,” he said.
It was only a telephonic call to all the MLAs, asking about who should be in the chair after Amarinder, said Jakhar. “At this point of time, when elections are round the corner, we should not go to people to ask their choice for party face,” he added. “As Channi was made the chief minister, I was offered the post of deputy chief minister, which I had politely declined,” he claimed. After Channi was made the chief minister, he did a good job in whatever time of less than four months he had, he added.
Jakhar is presently the chief of the campaign committee chief assembly elections in Punjab. Amarinder was made to resign as the chief minister by the Congress amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Sidhu. The chances of Jakhar becoming the chief minister were scuttled after the statement of senior Congress leader Ambika Soni who had said the party should go with a Sikh face.
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