Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as 16th Chief Minister of Punjab

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who was earlier tipped to be the Chief Minister, was also sworn in Channi's cabinet

58-year-old Charanjit Singh Channi, a leader from the Dalit community became the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab, the first scheduled-caste Chief Minister in the state as Congress leadership sought to fire-fight the near rebellion from former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

While the Congress is hopeful of gains from this move-in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati, a four-term Dalit Chief Minister of the state, while congratulating Channi also trained guns on Congress for this last-minute decision saying it looked like a "political gimmick". She also expressed confidence that "Dalits will not fall for such a stunt".

Channi, close to Sidhu, was among the four ministers – Randhawa, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria – who had raised a banner of revolt against the Captain last month and had met Rawat seeking the CM's replacement.

Read | Congress a divided house in Punjab as new CM takes oath

Along with Channi, who is considered close to Sidhu, two more leaders -- Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from the dominant Jat community and OP Soni, a Hindu leader -- were also sworn in. Both of them have been designated Deputy Chief Ministers.

All three were administered oath to office by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan here. On Sunday, Channi had met Governor Banwarilal Purohit to stake claim to the top job after being elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party hours a day after the resignation of Captain from the Chief Minister's post.

Soni appeared in another last-minute choice in which Sidhu had a role. Earlier the party had decided on Brahmin leader Brahm Mohindra.

Senior party leader from Punjab and Congress treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal had in fact tweeted on Sunday night "heartiest congratulations" to Channi for his elevation as CM and Randhawa and Mohindra as Dy CMs, wishing them "best wishes for their grand success in the service of Punjab" under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

On Monday morning after the oath ceremony, he corrected it tweeting his "regrets for yesterday’s tweet, based on incorrect information" and wishing "heartiest congratulations to Soni for taking oath as Dy CM with Channi and Randhawa saying Punjab Congress "emerges stronger".

Also Read | Hours ahead of Channi's swearing in, Rawat says Congress to fight 2022 Punjab polls under Sidhu

Both Mohindra and Soni were supporters of Captain Amarinder.

That Channi's appointment as CM created quite a ripple was evident as the BJP, which was promising to make a Dalit Chief Minister in the state if it was voted to power, vacillated between congratulating Channi to castigating him, latching on to issues like #MeToo.

BJP also latched on to comments of AICC in-charge for Punjab Harish Rawat about Sidhu being the face of 2022 Punjab polls, calling it an "insult" to Dalits.

"This is a huge insult to the entire Dalit community if Charanjit Singh Channi has been made the CM, only to hold the seat for Navjot Singh Sidhu, the chosen Gandhi family loyalist. This completely undermines the Dalit empowerment narrative being peddled by Congress. Shame, " BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said sharing a screenshot of former Punjab state chief Sunil Jakhar, who found fault with Rawat's remarks saying this negates the very purpose of his selection.

Jakhar's nephew Ajay Vir Jakhar on Twitter announced his resignation from the post of Chairman, Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission "due to the changed circumstances in the state".

Congress is trying to work out a social combination of Dalit, Jat Sikh and Hindu voters ahead of the state polls after replacing its prominent leader Captain Amarinder Singh and not being able to make its PCC chief Navjot Sidhu, another Jat Sikh leader CM.

Read more: #MeToo shadow over Punjab CM-designate Charanjit Singh Channi

At the height of Captain-Sidhu rivalry, party MP from Punjab Manish Tewari had talked about the community dynamics of Punjab politics in a tweet saying while Sikhs comprise of 57.75 per cent of electorate, Hindus are 38.49 while Dalits, who are found among both are 31.94 per cent. Tewari had also stressed Punjab was

Manish Tewari in his tweet said Punjab was “both progressive and secular” where Sikhs formed 57.75 per cent, Hindus 38.49 per cent, and Dalits — who have presence across beliefs — 31.94 per cent of the population. Meanwhile Jakhar tweeted Channi's words from Sunday saying that 'Being a Hindu or Sikh is secondary'

Congress is trying to work out a social combination of Dalit, Jat Sikh and Hindu voters ahead of the state polls.

Will Congress address these constituencies through the new team, with a Dalit CM and a Jat Sikh PCC chief besides one Dy CM from Jat Sikh and one from Hindu communities, can be answered only after the polls but the threat of an open rebellion by Captain, who had dominated the state politics like a colossal, will continue to worry top leadership.