Congress made Channi Punjab CM to grab Dalit votes: BJP
What's the story
The BJP alleged on Monday that the Congress has made Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab chief minister for a few months merely to grab Dalit votes as part of its conspiracy, and cited previous instances of the party giving the key position to a leader from the community only for a short tenure. The state will go to the polls early next year.
Details
BJP fronted its Dalit leaders to target the Congress
The BJP fronted its Dalit leaders to target the Congress and dared the rival party to make a public promise that Channi will be its chief ministerial face, which faces assembly polls early next year if it was sincere about its move. The Congress has sought to burnish its pro-Dalit credentials by making Channi the first member of the community to become Punjab's CM.
Elections
Harish Rawat reportedly said Sidhu will lead Congress in polls
Hitting out at the Congress, BJP general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam, who is the party's in-charge for the state, noted the reported statement of Harish Rawat that the Congress will fight the assembly elections under its state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's leadership. Rawat is the Congress's pointsman for handling its Punjab affairs.
Conspiracy
This is an old habit of the Congress: Gautam
"This is an old habit of the Congress. It believes it can capture the Dalit vote bank by making a Dalit CM for a few months. A conspiracy is being hatched in Punjab regarding the same," Gautam said Congress made Dalit leader Sushil Kumar Shinde Maharashtra's CM in 2003 but replaced him with Vilasrao Deshmukh when it won the 2004 assembly election, he said.
Tactic
Congress often used former deputy PM Jagjivan Ram: Gautam
Gautam, also a Dalit leader, alleged that Congress has resorted to this tactic often and claimed that it often used former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram to get the votes of the community but "insulted" him. Congress even removed Ram from the party when it came to giving him his due, he added.
Allegations
Congress has humiliated Dalits innumerable times: Gautam
The Congress also never gave BR Ambedkar Bharat Ratna or made a memorial in his name or did anything to preserve his memory, the BJP leader claimed. "The Congress has humiliated Dalits innumerable times," he alleged. Echoing the view, another Dalit leader of the BJP and party secretary Vinod Sonkar said the Congress has again exhibited its "false love" for Dalits.
Swearing-in ceremony
Captain Amarinder Singh had stepped down over the weekend
Charanjit Singh Channi took oath as the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab today. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh, a day after his name was announced by the ruling Congress party for the post. Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had stepped down over the weekend amid pressure from the party.