New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced the party's Chief Ministerial candidate for the Punjab assembly election. The ruling party has chosen incumbent CM Charanjit Singh Channi as its Chief Ministerial face.


At the Congress rally in Ludhiana, former party president Rahul Gandhi asserted that the party has no dearth of capable leaders. He said Punjab is in the blood of Charanjit Channi and Navjot Sidhu.


"People of Punjab said that they want a Chief Minister who comes from a financially poor family. We want someone who understands poverty, hunger, and the anxiety the poor face because Punjab needs that person to lead them. Punjab CM candidate will be Charanjit Singh Channi," Rahul Gandhi announced.



After the announcement, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi termed the election as a battle which he cannot fight alone: "I thank everyone. This is a big battle which I cannot fight alone. I don't have the money, courage to fight it. The people of Punjab will fight this battle", news agency ANI reported.


He also took to Twitter and wrote: "I sincerely thank the Congress High Command and people of Punjab for bestowing their trust in me. As you have seen us work so hard in the last 111 days to take Punjab forward, I assure you to take Punjab and Punjabis on the path of progress with new zeal and dedication."



Ahead of the announcement, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu said: "I have accepted Rahul Gandhi's decision... if I am given decision-making power, I will finish the mafia, improve people's lives. If not given power, I will walk with a smile with whomever you make CM".



There was a constant tussle within Congress on the party’s CM face with the top contenders for the post being Navjot Singh Sidhu and Charanjit Singh Channi. 


Earlier in the day, Navjot Singh Sidhu had tweeted, "Nothing great was ever achieved without an act of decision …. Warm welcome to our leading light Rahul Ji, who comes to give clarity to Punjab …. All will abide by his decision !!!"


He had asserted that he would agree to Gandhi's decision whatever it may be.


Congress was under immense pressure as the assembly elections are around the corner and the Aam Aadmi Party had already declared Bhagwant Singh Maan as its CM face.


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Congress Conducts Survey To Choose Punjab CM candidate


In order to decide the CM face for Punjab, Congress had conducted a survey to collect people’s opinions on who should be the CM of Punjab. 


Sources had told news agency ANI, “Opinions of candidates, workers, and party MPs are being recorded so that any feud over the CM face between Channi and Navjot Singh Siddhu can be avoided.”


The same source also said, “Party is also calling the general public through an automated call system to seek their opinion on CM face. The target of the party is to call around 1.5 crore people in the next 3 to 4 days,”


Punjab will go to the polls in a single phase on February 20. The results of the elections will be declared on March 10, 2022.


(With Agency Inputs)