Punjab Election: CM Channi Files Nomination From Chamkaur Sahib, Urges People To Ensure Victory

"You have to make (me) victorious by a margin of 50,000 votes," said Channi, who was accompanied by his family.

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi appealed to the people of the Chamkaur Sahib constituency on Tuesday to help him win by a margin of at least 50,000 votes in the state assembly elections on February 20.

His comments came only days after AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Channi was losing his home turf of Chamkaur Sahib, PTI reported.

Channi gave a passionate address to a crowd after filing nomination papers for the Chamkaur Sahib seat (SC) in the Rupnagar district, asking people to secure his success as he detailed many development initiatives carried out in his home area.

'You Have To Make Me Victorious By A Margin Of 50,000 Votes': Channi

"You have to make (me) victorious by a margin of 50,000 votes," said Channi, who was accompanied by his family.

In urging people to vote for him in the approaching elections, he stated, "If we win (from Chamkaur Sahib) by fewer than 50,000 votes, it will not be a success."

He targetted his political opponents, accusing them of banding together to silence the voice of Chamkaur Sahib's people.

They may conduct as many raids as they want and file as many fake FIRs as they want, but the people of Chamkaur Sahib will always be with me, the 58-year-old leader said.

"I am your son as well as your sibling. I've been with you for 15 years and have never left you for a single day," he said. In his emotional remarks, the three-term MLA stated, "I am nothing without you."

He advised people to vote for him in this election from this seat since he will be campaigning in many districts of Punjab.

"I never turned my back on a village," he said, adding that all work had been completed.

Opposition Slams Channi Over His Connection With Recent ED Raid On His Relative

Opposition parties have singled out Channi in connection with recent Enforcement Directorate searches on his relative.

During searches undertaken in conjunction with an anti-money laundering probe into illicit sand-mining activities in the poll-bound state, the ED recently confiscated cash totalling more than Rs 10 crore, including around Rs 8 crore from a relative of Channi.

Channi has clearly denied any involvement in his relative's case, which is being examined by the Enforcement Directorate, and has accused his political opponents of waging a "slanderous and deceptive" campaign against him.

Charanjit Channi has served as the Chamkaur Sahib constituency's representative in the legislative assembly since 2007. Channi won from Chamkaur Sahib by a margin of 12,308 votes in the 2017 assembly elections.

(With PTI Inputs)