Congress ditches Navjot Sidhu again, makes Channi CM face

Chandigarh, Feb 6 (UNI) Central Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the candidature of incumbent CM Charanjit Singh Channi as the Chief Minister face before the forthcoming state polls. In a virtual rally at Ludhiana, on Sunday,  Rahul made the announcement in the presence of both candidates and party workers.

Without losing much time, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Chief Minister candidate Bhagwant Mann slammed the Gandhi family and Congress party for declaring Charanjit Singh Channi as their Chief Ministerial candidate. He said that the Congress has made a mockery of poor and common man by choosing the chief minister who is allegedly linked to the of mafia. He said that the decision of the Congress has proved that they want to rob Punjab again as it did in the past as they have chosen a person who’s personality is stained. He said that the mafia can be Congress’s choice but not the people of Punjab. Mann said that it is inexplicable how Congress is claiming Channi to be poor, whose relatives drove luxury cars and are caught with piles of money belonging to mafia and transfer-posting racket. He said that people of Punjab have given several chances to the Congress, but the ruling party has made the state indebted, thereby the poor became extremely poor, while their own leaders became rich. Congress and its leaders have always used poor people and Dalits for their vote bank but never thought about their up liftmen, he added. Attacking Rahul Gandhi, the AAP leader said “Rahul Gandhi has proved that the mafia does not run under the leadership of Captain or Channi but under safe-keeping of the Gandhi family. The people of Punjab know that the ‘diamonds of Congress’ had looted Punjab and patronized the mafia.” He further said that the Congress has neither stood with the poor nor Rahul Gandhi or any other Congress leader has fought for the rights of the poor. Rahul Gandhi has said that politics is not going to be easy for Congress because people of Punjab have become aware and have made up their mind not to bring back the government of those who were patronizing the mafia. He said that Congress and other traditional parties have looted Punjab since independence. Mann said that it is comical to hear Charanjit Singh Channi talking about sand mafia because he himself has been tainted with the allegations of links with the mafia, corruption and of being characterless and his former CM Capt Amarinder Singh has confirmed these allegations. Channi as Chief Minister did not take strict action against Bikram Majithia, the action against the transport mafia became a photo stunt, and even his involvement with the sand mafia has made headlines, he added. The AAP leader said that Channi is saying that he was the Chief Minister for three months and his performance will get votes. But he should not forget that he was the Chief Minister of Congress’ 59 month government and had been minister in Captain’s Cabinet. While attacking the Congress, Mann said that the Congress cannot run away from accountability by changing Ali Baba and giving the thieves new departments. He also alleged that Channi has looted crores of Rupees during his 111 day long government but never implemented any of his “hollow” announcements. Taking a jibe at Channi’s statement that he will not own any property in his name or his wife’s name, Mann said that by giving everything to his sons and nephews.