Hours ahead of Channi's swearing in, Rawat says Congress to fight 2022 Punjab polls under Sidhu

AICC general secretary Harish Rawat on Sunday said that the upcoming state Assembly elections will be fought under "popular" Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

"It (Congress's face for upcoming polls) will be decided by the Congress president, but given the circumstances, elections will be fought with the Chief Minister's cabinet under Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, whose chief is Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is very popular," Rawat told ANI.

The Congress on Sunday picked Charanjit Singh Channi as the next chief minister of Punjab, making him the first Dalit to hold the post in the state, a day after Amarinder Singh resigned following a bitter power tussle in the party.

Read more: #MeToo shadow over Punjab CM-designate Charanjit Singh Channi

Sidhu's predecessor Sunil Jakhar, whose name was also doing the rounds as next CLP leader, termed Rawat's statement as 'baffling'.

"It’s likely to undermine CM’s authority but also negate the very ‘raison d’être’ of his selection for this position," he tweeted.

Congress leader, Harminder Singh Gill said that only Sunil Jakhar could comment on the statement he made.

"This decision (Charanjit Channi as CM) is party high command's decision not just Harish Rawat ji's decision," he said.

The leadership switch in Punjab – and the not so smooth manner in which it was executed – could have a bearing on Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the only two other states where the party is in power on its own.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya took to Twitter to comment on the issue.

"This is a huge insult to the entire Dalit community if Charanjit Singh Channi has been made the CM, only to hold the seat for Navjot Singh Sidhu, the chosen Gandhi family loyalist.
This completely undermines the Dalit empowerment narrative being peddled by the Congress. Shame", said Malviya.

(With agency inputs)

Check out the latest DH videos here: