Ex-Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi returns to India

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi has returned to India after spending many months in the US and Canada.

On Monday, he shared his photo with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on his Twitter handle and wrote, “Congratulated Smt. @priyankagandhi Ji for the party's historic victory in Himachal Pradesh polls.”

He shared another photo with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on the microblogging platform.

“Paying my regards to Hon'ble President AICC Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge Ji,” Channi said in another tweet.

Channi returned to the country ahead of the Punjab leg of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is expected to enter the state next month.

Channi, who was the Congress’ chief ministerial face, had travelled abroad shortly after his party's humiliating defeat in the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.

He had contested from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur in the February assembly polls, but lost both seats.

In September 2021, Channi had succeeded Amarinder Singh following the latter’s unceremonious exit as the chief minister of Punjab.

During the session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in September this year, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had targeted Channi, asking where he had gone after tasting defeat in the assembly polls.

Mann had then alleged that the former chief minister took many decisions near the end of the term of the Congress government and many of them were “anti-people”.