Soon after taking the oath of office, the newly-sworn in Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said his government is standing with farmers and will appeal to the Centre to withdraw the three farm laws.
Chandigarh [India], September 20: In his first interaction with media after taking the oath, Chief Minister said he is representative of poor sections of society including daily wage labourers and farmers. “I am not the representative of rich. I am representative of common man of Punjab,” he said. Channi also said his government will immediately waive the water and electricity bills of farmers. “Punjab government stands with the farmers. We appeal to the Centre to withdraw the three farm laws…We will waive water and electricity bills of farmers,” said the Chief Minister.
A seemingly emotional Channi said he comes from a poor family, and “Congress has made a common man the chief minister.”
Thanking Congress high command for the decision to name him as the Chief Minister, he said, “Rahul Gandhi is a revolutionary leader. He read the mind of common people.”
The new Chief Minister also praised the predecessor, Captain Amarinder Singh. “Captain did a lot of good work for the people of Punjab. We will take his work forward,” he said.
“The new government does not have any vendetta against anyone. We will work on all the agenda’s proposed by the Congress party,” stated Channi.
He added that the party is supreme, not the Chief Minister or the cabinet. “The government will work as per the party’s ideology.”
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat, along with Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni accompanied the New Chief Minister during the media interaction.
Major administrative reshuffle by new Punjab CM
Soon after taking oath as Punjab Chief Minister, Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday ordered a major administrative reshuffle.
Senior IAS officer Hussan Lal has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister in place of Tejveer Singh. Rahul Tiwari has been appointed as Special Principal Secretary replacing Gurkeerat Kirpal Singh, a close aide of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Channi was sworn in as Chief Minister of Punjab on Monday. The three-time MLA from Rupnagar’s Chamkaur Sahib is the state’s first Dalit Chief Minister.
On Sunday, after several rounds of parleys, Channi was selected for the post by the party high command, following Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation.
Amarinder Singh on Saturday submitted his resignation to state Governor Banwarilal Purohit, following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
These development came months before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.
