Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), congratulated Charanjit Singh Channi on his appointment as Punjab’s new Chief Minister on Monday, but dismissed it as an electoral gimmick ahead of the state’s impending assembly elections.
‘I congratulate Charanjit Singh Channi on becoming Punjab CM. It would have been better if he had been appointed as CM earlier. Channi’s appointment as CM a few months ahead of Punjab assembly elections appears to be a poll gimmick,’ Mayawati said.
Mayawati further chastised the Congress over Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat’s alleged comment that the state’s next assembly poll would be contested under the leadership of a non-Dalit. ‘I have also come to know through media that the next Punjab assembly elections will be fought under the leadership of a non-Dalit. This means that Congress still does not fully trust the Dalits. Congress is also scared of the SAD-BSP alliance in Punjab,’ Mayawati further stated.
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On Monday, Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn in as Punjab’s 16th Chief Minister, alongside two Deputy Chief Ministers, Sukhjinder Randhawa and Om Prakash Soni. Channi is the state’s first Dalit Chief Minister. Navjot Singh Sidhu considers him a close aide. The decision to choose Channi, a member of the Ramdasia Sikh (Chamar) community, as the next CM assumes significance prior to the assembly elections to be held in Punjab next year.
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