Charanjit Singh Channi to take oath as Punjab new Chief Minister

Chandigarh : Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi will become the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab after he takes oath at 11 AM on Monday. The swearing-in ceremony will take place in Chandigarh.

He is a three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib constituency. Channi was born in Punjab’s Bhajauli village near Kurali in 1963. His family was settled in Malaysia where his father worked, but they returned to India in 1955 and settled in Kharar town of SAS Nagar district of Punjab.

According to a report by news agency ANI, Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to attend the oath-taking ceremony. 

The party's Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat said on Sunday that there will be two deputy chief ministers in the state. "One deputy chief minister will be from Jat Sikh community and the other will be from the Hindu community," he was quoted as saying by ANI.

The BJP has said that it is a matter of just 4-6 months, post that people will select their own minister as the state will go for Assembly Polls.

Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had submitted his resignation on Saturday, saying that he has been "humiliated thrice".

"I was humiliated three times by the Congress leadership in the past two months...they called the MLAs to Delhi twice and now convened CLP (MLAs' meeting) today (Saturday). Apparently, they (Congress leadership) do not have confidence in me and did not think I could handle my job. But I felt humiliated at the manner in which they handled the whole affair... It's now up to them to appoint anyone they trust," Mr Singh said, flashing resentment that threatens to blow up for the Congress in the coming months.

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