‘Private Jet for 250km?’ Oppn Taunts Sidhu-Channi Over Delhi Departure Photo

The Opposition got its first punch in against Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, mocking the duo for taking a jet to the national capital.

Sidhu and Channi left for New Delhi on Tuesday to hold consultations with the party high command on cabinet and administrative reshuffle in the state. Sidhu shared on Twitter a photo of himself, Channi and deputy chief ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa and OP Soni standing in front of what seemed to be a chartered jet. Sidhu captioned the picture “In line of duty”.

Minutes later, the Shiromani Akali Dal took a dig at the CM’s “aam aadmi” statement from Monday. “After saying that they stand with the common man, INC leaders take private jets to travel just 250 KMs from Chandigarh to Delhi. Are there no normal flights or cars that can be used? Or is this chest thumping aimed at propagation of Gandhi family’s Delhi Darbar culture?” a tweet from the Akali Dal’s official handle said.

AAP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema too lashed out at Channi, saying he is using chartered planes “like Badals and Captain (Amarinder Singh)” after claiming to be in solidarity with the common man.

All eyes are on the Sidhu-Channi combine’s cabinet picks with caste calculation in play ahead of assembly elections next year. While Channi is Punjab’s first Dalit CM, the two deputy CM picks are from Jat Sikh and Hindu Khatri communities. With 32% SC population in the state, the cabinet picks too are likely to reflect a balancing act to maximise voter outreach for next year.

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