Punjab Election: Charanjit Singh Channi to be Congress CM face, announces Rahul Gandhi at Ludhiana rally

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly election, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday declared that Charanjit Singh Channi will be the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate for the election.

The latest development was shared by Gandhi while addressing a virtual rally in Ludhiana. The rally was named ‘Aawaz Punjab Di’.

#WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announces Congress’ chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections 2022

“Punjab CM will come from a poor family, Chaani will be CM face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections,” says Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/SvnhvYAY3r

— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2022

In his speech he said, ”Punjab CM will come from a poor family, Chaani will be CM face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.”

After the announcement, the incumbent Chief Minister of the state Charanjit Singh Channi thanked the party for selecting him as its candidate in the 2022 Punjab election.

”I thank everyone. This is a big battle that I cannot fight alone. I do not have the money, courage to fight it. The people of Punjab will fight this battle,” added CM Channi.

I thank everyone. This is a big battle which I can’t fight alone. I don’t have the money, courage to fight it. The people of Punjab will fight this battle: Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi after he was announced as Congress’ CM face for the #PunjabElections2022 pic.twitter.com/7yC8xxzbyy

— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2022

Notably, Channi will be fighting the election from two different constituencies. He will fight from Chamkaur Sahib in the Rupnagar district, which is his home turf and the second seat is Bhadaur, based in the Barnala district.

The people of Punjab will cast their votes for the 117 assembly seats on February 20. The counting of votes is scheduled to be started on March 10.

In the 2017 assembly election, Congress came in majority by winning 77 seats, and Arvind Kejriwal’s party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 seats. SAD secured 15 seats, followed by BJP (03), Independents (02).