Sunil Jakhar ‘baffled’ by Harish Rawat's ‘Sidhu to lead Punjab polls’ statement; BJP says 'insult to Dalits'
In a shocking development ahead of Channi’s swearing-in ceremony, Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Monday hit out at party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat over his statement announcing that election in the state would be led by Navjot Singh Sidhu.
FollowEven as Charanjit Singh Channi took oath as Punjab Chief Minister, his appointment is likely not going to hurt Navjot Singh Sidhu’s CM prospects in the state.
The Congress’s Punjab plan went off smoothly with the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh as CM and finding a suitable replacement in Charanjit Singh Channi, 58, who was picked to lead the border state on Sunday, party insiders said.
In a shocking development ahead of Channi’s swearing-in ceremony, Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Monday hit out at party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat over his statement announcing that election in the state would be led by Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Jakhar claimed he was baffled by state in-charge Harish Rawat’s statement and reacting to Rawat’s statement, tweeted, “On the swearing-in day of @Charnjit_channi as Chief Minister, Mr Rawats’s statement that “elections will be fought under Sidhu”, is baffling. It’s likely to undermine CM’s authority but also negate the very ‘raison d’être’ of his selection for this position.”
Speaking to ANI, Rawat had said, "It (Congress face for upcoming state assembly 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."
Meanwhile, the BJP took a dig at the developments in Punjab as Rawat’s statement created ripples.
BJP leader Amit Malviya, reacting to Jakhar's tweet called it as “huge insult” to the Dalit community.
“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 in a tweet.
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