
Channi or Sidhu, we’ll have CM face: Rahul
Decision on top post after consulting party workers, says Cong leader as di erences simmer in Punjab.
Jalandhar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the party will go into the Punjab Assembly polls with a CM face and the decision on it will be taken soon after consulting party workers.
Addressing a virtual rally in Jalandhar, Gandhi said Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu have assured him that whoever is chosen as the CM face, the other will support him.
Gandhi made the statement after Sidhu at the rally demanded that the party declare the CM face for the polls and said he doesn’t want to be a “showpiece”.
Over the past several weeks, both Channi and Sidhu have indicated, directly or indirectly, keenness to be declared as the party’s CM face.
Differences in the party continued to simmer even after the ouster of Amarinder Singh as the CM and Channi’s elevation to the post.
Earlier in the day, in a show of unity, Rahul Gandhi led party candidates to the Amritsar’s Golden Temple, where they offered prayers and sat for a langar.
Rahul at the rally said both Channi and Sidhu told him that the biggest question in Punjab is who will lead the Congress in the state.“Media people call it the chief ministerial candidate,” he said.
“Normally, we do not do this but if the Congress party, our workers and Punjab want this, then we will take a decision on the CM face for you,” Gandhi said. The demand for declaring the chief ministerial face will be met at the earliest, he said.
“We will take this decision after consulting our workers. And the person will take Punjab ahead and others will work as a team,” he said. “Both Sidhu and Channi gave me an assurance that two people cannot lead and only one can lead. Both told me whoever leads, the other will put all his energy behind him,” said Gandhi.
Earlier in his address, Sidhu asked Gandhi to declare the chief ministerial face, saying that people want clarity on who will implement the agenda and roadmap of the party, to which Channi later said he was never after any post and anyone whose name is announced, he will wholeheartedly back him.