A day after Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from his post, the Indian National Congress on Sunday announced the name of Charanjit Singh Channi, a minister in Amarinder Cabinet, as the new chief minister. Amarinder Singh resigned on Saturday saying that he has been "humiliated thrice" and that Congress is free to "appoint whoever they trust". Punjab has seen its politics in turmoil since the rise of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the leader of the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. After a long tussle with Sidhu, Amarinder Singh on Saturday decided to submit his resignation to the Governor of Punjab. After Amarinder's resignation, many names were floating for CM post including former Punjab Congress chiefs Sunil Jakhar and Pratap Singh Bajwa, and Beant Singh's grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu. However, Dalit leader Channi emerged as the dark horse and he will become Punjab's first Dalit CM.
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Here are 10 interesting facts about Channi’s life:
1. Born in Bhajauli on 2nd April 1973, Charanjit Singh Channi is an Indian politician belonging to the Indian National Congress.
2. He resides in the Kharar area of Mohali, Punjab and has a wife Kamaljit Kaur and two kids Navjit Singh, Rhythmjit Singh.
3. Charanjit Singh Channi has an impressive academic and political career. He is a law graduate and an MBA and has taken care of the technical education ministry.
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4. He belongs to the Ramdasia Sikh (Chamar) community and was appointed as a cabinet minister in Capt. Amarinder Singh cabinet, Punjab on 16 March 2017 at the age of 47.
5. However, his first office was during 2007, when he won the local election and became an MLA from Chamkaur Sahib constituency.
6. He is considered close to AICC leader Rahul Gandhi and became the choice of the Congress high command for the post after two Jat Sikhs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu opposed the party’s move to appoint a Hindu leader Sunil Jakhar.
7. He was the leader of opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2015 to 2016.
8. He was a former Minister of Technical Educational & industrial Training in the Punjab government.
9. He had his share of controversies as well. As part of #MeToo movement, he was accused of sending lewd messages to a female IAS officer. He has also had allegations of illegal mining in SAS Nagar district.
10. Punjab has over 31% Scheduled Caste population and Chaani will be the first person from this community to occupy CM chair in the state.
