Who Will be Congress’ Punjab CM Pick? Party Workers Will Decide, Says Rahul Gandhi

With both Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu eyeing the top job, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the chief ministerial face would be decided by the party workers soon. Gandhi also admitted that “two people cannot lead (the state), only one can”.

The Congress leader made the statements during his one-day visit to the state, kicking off Congress’ campaign for the assembly elections scheduled on February 20. “We will ask Congress workers to decide on the chief ministerial candidate,” he told a gathering in Jalandhar. He said that while he was on his way to the venue, both Sidhu and Channi had expressed their opinion that the CM face should be announced and that both of them will support the party’s decision.

“Two people can’t lead, only one can. They told me that they would agree to whatever decision the party takes on who will be the CM face. If one leads, the other has promised to extend all the support. Both have the Congress’ thoughts in their heart,” he said.

Later, taking to Twitter, Gandhi promised to soon announce the name of the party’s CM candidate.

Gandhi’s remarks in Jalandhar came just after both Channi and Sidhu addressed the gathering. In his address, PCC chief Sidhu threw subtle hints of staking claim to the top post by saying that he should not just be made an “exhibitory horse”. “But I will accept whatever decision is taken by Rahul Gandhi on every issue,” he said.

“People have this question on their mind that who will rescue them from this crisis in Punjab and what’s the roadmap. The third question which people are asking is that who is the face who will implement these reforms,” Sidhu added.

Not to be left behind, Channi too made his claim to the top chair clear. “If people have liked my work in the last three months, then they should get a chance to see what I can do for the next five years. Wherever I go, the people I meet appreciate the work I have done in 111 days,” he said.

Congress sources said that Gandhi, apart from Channi and Sidhu, had met other party leaders as well and he had been informed about the growing clamour in the party to announce the CM face, particularly after the Aam Aadmi Party did the same by declaring Bhagwat Mann as its pick.

Congress has announced 109 candidates for the February 20 polls so far and names of candidates for eight seats are yet to be declared.

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