Ignoring the demand of Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, the high command of the party has refused to name anybody as the CM face for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Sidhu, who has never hidden his ambition of becoming the chief minister, has been continuously demanding that the party should name its chief ministerial candidate before the polls. However, election campaign committee chief Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday made it clear that the party high command would not announce its CM candidate before the polls.
“This time, the high command has decided that the Punjab polls will be fought under its collective leadership, whether someone likes it or not,” Jakhar said after the Congress screening committee meeting in Delhi.
Even after Jakhar's statement, Sidhu said that the people of Punjab wanted to know the identity of the person who will work for them. Referring to the public's demand, he said: “who will take them out of the kichar (mud) and how? People also want to know about the roadmap.”
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The PCC chief also said that he had made similar demands from the Aam Aadmi Party during the 2017 polls and it is natural for people to now demand the same from him.
" I used to ask Aam Aadmi Party “where the groom of their marriage procession was? So naturally, the people will ask me the same question this time," he told media persons.
Jakhar also said that Captain Amarinder Singh's name was declared as CM candidate during the 2017 polls but it was an exception. He also asserted that only elected legislators would choose their leader this time. Jakhar further said that the final list of candidates would be released by the central election committee headed by AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
Interestingly, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi is also pushing hard for a second term as CM after the assembly elections. While addressing a rally in Patiala on Wednesday, Channi asked the people of Punjab to give him another chance, if they were satisfied with his work.
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“AAP has said that you have seen Akalis and Congress, so give us a chance. I say that you have seen Captain (Amarinder Singh) and (Parkash Singh) Badal also. If you are satisfied with my work in these two months, give me a chance again,” said Channi.
