Charanjit Channi: Star for 111 days, Dalit chief now again to humdrum politics

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Till some months in the past, Charanjit Singh Channi was simply one other minister in Amarinder Singh’s Congress authorities.

And when the get together determined to switch the veteran chief because the chief minister in Punjab, Channi wasn’t even within the record of apparent front-runners.

But after the Congress made the shock determination, Channi took to his new function as CM with enthusiasm, asserting sops, that includes in full-page newspaper commercials and even collaborating in a recreation of hockey.

Though Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, who performed a significant function in Amarinder Singh’s ouster, continued along with his pitch to be declared the get together CM’s face because the meeting polls neared, the Congress picked Channi.

His credentials as Punjab’s first Dalit CM appeared to assist.

Over 30 per cent of the state’s inhabitants is Dalit.

The Congress fielded Channi from two seats — Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar and Bhadaur in Barnala, a transfer which confirmed how a lot the Congress was banking on him.

He misplaced from each, and the get together obtained a drubbing from the Aam Aadmi Party.

Channi, who appeared to return from nowhere to centre stage for about 4 months, is now headed again to relative obscurity.

Born in Bhajauli village in Kharar in 1963, Channi’s stepped into politics in 1992 when he was elected a councillor.

In 2003, he grew to become the president of the Kharar municipal council.

He made it to the state meeting as an impartial MLA from Chamkaur Sahib in 2007.

He gained the identical seat in 2012, however this time on a Congress ticket.

He later grew to become Leader of Opposition within the House.

After being elected as an MLA for the third time in a row in 2017, he discovered a berth in Amarinder Singh’s ministry.

He held the portfolios of Technical Education, Industrial Training, Employment Generation and Tourism and Cultural Affairs.

When Congress confronted infighting within the state final 12 months, Channi and three different ministers rebelled towards Amarinder Singh, selecting to aspect with state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Channi by no means missed an opportunity to spotlight his “humble background”, however there may be nothing humble about his training.

He has a BA diploma, adopted by an LLB from Panjab University and an MBA from Punjab Technical University.

He is now going for a PhD from PU Chandigarh.

As a minister within the Amarinder Singh authorities, Channi was on the centre of a row in 2018.

An IAS officer accused him of sending an inappropriate textual content message to her.

Channi advised the media that he despatched the message unintentially, and had apologised to the official.

Controversy dogged him in the course of the latest election marketing campaign as properly.

The Enforcement Directorate raided his nephew’s premises.

Channi categorically denied any hyperlink in his relative’s case and his get together accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing the company.

And then there was the safety breach which compelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return to Delhi with out addressing a political rally in Ferozepur, after his convoy was blocked by protesting farmers.

The Centre put the blame on the state authorities headed by Channi.

He got here below fireplace for his ‘UP de bhaiye’ comment, seen by many as a derogatory reference to migrants from different states.

Before the elections had been declared, Channi had been a CM for 111 days – a time period marked by populist bulletins because the state headed into the elections.

These included the slashing of energy tariff and making cable television, and even sand, cheaper.

He projected himself as a politician who may determine with the lots.

‘Ghar ghar chali gal, Channi karda masle hal,’ was a catchphrase coined by him.

Roughly translated, it means, ‘It’s the discuss of the city — Channi solves issues.’

His rivals claimed it was all simply discuss.

But Channi as soon as mentioned, “I am not ‘ailaanjeet’ (one who only makes announcements). I am ‘Vishwasjeet’ (one who has won the people’s trust).”

Not sufficient, it will appear for the Congress to make a mark within the election.