Post Capt's Amarinder Singh exit, 42 MLAs backed me for Punjab CM's post, claims Sunil Jakhar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2

As the Congress is all set to announce its CM face for the coming Assembly elections, senior party leader Sunil Jakhar created a flutter by pointing out that a majority of the MLAs had backed him for the post after Capt Amarinder Singh was dethroned in September last year.

Jakhar, chairman of the Campaign Committee and one of the faces for the ongoing campaign, was speaking at a rally in Abohar in support of his nephew Sandeep Jakhar. In a video, he is heard saying that after Captain Amarinder’s ouster, 42 MLAs had voted for him, 16 for Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, 12 for Preneet Kaur, six for PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and two for Charanjit Songh Channi for the CM’s post.

The Jakhar’s video, which has gone viral, has sparked a buzz, adding yet another twist to the Congress’s campaign for the crucial state elections. In the video, Jakhar is also heard saying in Punjabi that he has no complaints and “God does whatever is right”.

Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader said though the facts of the voting done by the MLAs at the time of Capt Amarinder’s ouster were already in public domain, Jakhar’s words came when the party was taking a feedback from voters and workers to choose between Channi and Sidhu as the CM face.

It is also being seen by Congress leaders as a subtle reminder by the former PCC chief to the party leadership about his relevance at a time when it was asking its workers about the CM face.

Incidentally, Jakhar, who was one of the faces for the Congress’ posters for the Assembly elections, has apparently been left out by the party after it took a U-turn on going to the polls with a CM face. Earlier, the party kept on saying that it would go with joint faces.

Talking in context of the situation when Capt Amarinder Singh was removed and 42 MLAs voted for him, the senior Congress leader said certain advisers in Delhi made it a “Sikh-Hindu issue”. But, both the party and the state are secular.

He further said declaring the CM candidate was the prerogative of the party high command and the decision was taken after consultation with leaders and workers. “Personally, I feel that it will not be politically prudent to change horses during the battle,” he added.

Jakhar said if backing a handpicked Dalit candidate was a good choice, then the party should give chance to Channi.

Party & state are secular

With Capt Amarinder’s removal and MLAs backing me, certain advisers in Delhi made it a ‘Hindu-Sikh issue’. But both the party and the state are secular. — Sunil Jakhar, Cong

Not the time to rake up old issues

It is not the time to rake up old issues. It is futile to discuss the matter (of internal voting in the Congress) at this stage as the issue is long over. — Pargat Singh, minister

Uttarakhand: Channi star campaigner

While Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has found a place among the star campaigners for the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the name of PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu is missing from the list.

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