Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn-in as the 16th chief minister of Punjab on Monday at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. He became the first individual from the Dalit community in Punjab to take charge of the top post.
Earlier in the day, Channi, a three-time MLA from Rupnagar’s Chamkaur Sahib, offered prayers at a gurdwara in Rupnagar.
Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat and state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu were present at the oath taking ceremony. However, former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh skipped the event.
On Saturday, the Congress leadership announced Charanjit Channi’s name as the chief minister following day-long consultations within the top leadership. In the previously led Amarinder Singh cabinet, Channi had served as the minister of technical education.
Singh had resigned from the CM’s post on Saturday after months-long power-sharing tussle with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu. Punjab is one of the last three remaining Congress-ruled states in the country. While putting in his papers, Singh said he felt humiliated – a reference towards the doubts raised by the Congress’ central leadership over his capabilities to run Punjab.
