Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab

Charanjit Singh Channi was elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab. Channi is set to take up the post of the next Chief Minister after Capt. Amarinder Singh’s resignation from the same.

Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as the 16th chief minister of Punjab on Monday at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. He is the first Dalit member to hold the post in Punjab.

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Earlier in the day, Charanjit Singh Channi offered prayers at a gurdwara in Rupnagar.

Channi, who was born in Bhajauli village near Kurali, Punjab in 1963, is a Dalit Sikh and has seamlessly risen through the ranks within the Congress party. He has also served as a member of the assembly thrice from the Chamkaur Sahib constituency. Channi served as technical education minister under Amarinder Singh’s cabinet.

Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat and Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu were present at the ceremony. However, Ex-chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh did not attend the event. Before the oath ceremony, Channi met with Congress leader Harish Rawat and is scheduled to meet with Capt. Amarinder Singh later in the day.

Punjab Congress leaders Brahm Mohindra and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will be posted as deputy CM’s to Charanjit Singh Channi as the state heads to the assembly elections next year.

Charanjit Singh Channi was elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab. Channi is set to take up the post of the next Chief Minister after Capt. Amarinder Singh’s resignation from the same. On Saturday, Capt Amarinder Singh presented his resignation papers to state Governor Banwarilal Purohit, following tensions between Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.