Punjab's new CM Charanjit Singh Channi 'night watchman' for 4.5 months, says BJP's RP Singh

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) National spokesperson RP Singh slammed Congress for replacing Captain Amarinder Singh with Charanjit Singh Channi as Punjab's new chief minister for the rest of the term and called Channi 'a night watchman' till the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Speaking to ANI, RP Singh said, "Channi is like a night watchman till the upcoming polls. This is not what we are saying, this is what we can comprehend from Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat's recent tweet. Channi is Chief Minister for another four and half months which means that Congress will use him for consolidating Dalit votes in the state. I challenge the Congress party to announce that Channi will be our face as the Chief Minister for the next assembly polls. This is the 'Congress culture'. They use and throw people as per their needs."

Earlier, Punjab Congress general secretary Rawat had on Sunday tweeted, "It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Sh. #CharanjitSinghChanni has been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Punjab."

Recently, after resigning from the post of Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh had alleged that Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh has links with Pakistan and is a threat to national security.

Commenting on the above remarks of Captain Amarinder Singh, RP Singh said, "The new chief minister will work on the orders of Punjab Pradesh Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu and we fear it will be a threat to national security. Even Captain pointed out Navjot's relation with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan."

Congress should answer and clear its stand on Sidhu and national security, he further said.

Charanjit Singh Channi has taken oath as the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab on Monday amid a bitter war within the state Congress. The Congress had picked Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of Punjab after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned following a bitter power tussle in the party.

Punjab Assembly polls are slated to take place in 2022.

In 2017, the party registered a convincing victory in this border state, as it displaced the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine.

( With inputs from ANI )