Public welfare should be top priority of Punjab govt, says Ashwani Kumar

Amid the turmoil in the Punjab unit of Congress, senior party leader and former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar on Wednesday said that the time has come to change the focus from 'personalities' to 'people's welfare' in state politics.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said public welfare should be the top priority of the new government.

"The urgent relief to the urban and rural poor, particularly with respect to power bills, effective grievances redressal mechanism, maintaining social and religious harmony, respect for all religious sensitivities and employment generation for women and youth should be the top priorities of the new dispensation," he said.

Kumar also lauded the party's move to appoint Charanjit Singh Channi as a Chief Minister of Punjab, and said the new Chief Minister is "expected to recognise the just political aspirations of party persons which will earn him the goodwill for effective governance."

He further said, "Punjab politics should steer away from the Hindu-Sikh-Dalit debate and be anchored in a people-centric political discourse. It must embrace the moderate centre as a guarantee of political stability in the border state."

On Monday, Kumar lauded the Congress leadership for the appointment of Channi as Punjab Chief Minister as the "right choice at right time".

Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi took oath as Punjab's 16th Chief Minister on Monday.

Amarinder Singh on Saturday submitted his resignation to state Governor Banwarilal Purohit, following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

These developments came months before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.

( With inputs from ANI )