Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as Punjab Chief Minister
The Hindu
Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and O.P. Soni take oath as Deputy Chief Ministers
Congress leader and MLA Charanjit Singh Channi on September 20 took oath as new Chief Minister of Punjab. Two Deputy Chief Ministers — O.P. Soni and Sukhjinder Randhawa, also took oath along with the Mr. Channi.
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy with Congress leaders including former party president Rahul Gandhi, State party president Navjot Singh Sidhu and others present on the occasion. Former Chief Minister Amaridner Singh skipped the event even though he had extended his best wishes to Mr. Channi.
Mr. Channi is the first Dalit to head the government in the State. Mr. Channi, 49, was the State Technical Education Minister in Capt. Amarinder Singh’s Cabinet. A close aide of State Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, he was among the Ministers who had rebelled against Capt. Amarinder Singh, expressing lack of faith in the former Chief Minister’s ability to fulfil the party’s election promises. He had attacked Capt. Amarinder on several issues — the Bargari sacrilege issue, failure to curb the drugs and transport mafias and other un-kept election promises made in 2017.