A day after Congress ended the month-long speculations on who would be the party’s Chief Ministerial face, prospective CM Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday offered his prayers at Shri Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh, while the out-of-fray contender Navjot Singh Sidhu went door-to-door campaigning in his home constituency – Amritsar East.
“With the blessings of Mother Goddess, I have been declared the Chief Minister candidate. I came here for Mata ji’s darshan as soon as I was declared the CM candidate. I have received Naina Devi's blessings and prayed for the victory of the Congress in the upcoming elections,” said Chief Minister Channi.
After offering his prayers, Channi said that both Shri Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, and Shri Naina Devi temple in neighbouring hill state will be connected by ropeway after the Congress Government is formed in Punjab.
When asked about the Punjab unit Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and his battle for supremacy, Channi refused to answer saying that he would “not talk about politics now as we are in Mata’s darbar”.
Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Sidhu, who has been vying for the Chief Minister’s post ever since he orchestrated Capt Amarinder Singh’s sudden ouster in September last. Though visibly disappointed, Sidhu gracefully accepted the CM face announcement made by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during a virtual rally on Sunday, by hugging Channi and raising his hand in jubiliation.
“I never desired to hold any designation, but only wants to serve the people of Punjab...My love for Punjab is double than the love for the Congress high command,” said Sidhu, while campaigning in his Amritsar East constituency, where he is facing a stiff competition from his arch-rival Bikram Majithia.
Sidhu, backing the high command’s selection as the Congress’ CM face, expressed confidence that his “Punjab model” would be implemented by Chief Minister Channi. “It a joint model of Punjab and I don’t have a copyright on it. If my true desire is to do good for the people, then it clearly means that anyone can take any good thing from the Punjab Model. I don’t have any objection. I will post my Punjab Model on my Facebook page and also hold a press conference. I have already given it to the Congress. But the power to implement it is now with Channi Sahib,” he said.
Sidhu said that his main focus was to transform Punjab. “It’s never necessary to have a post for this purpose. It was prerogative of the high command (Congress) to take a final call. Whatever was decided was acceptable. But I will continue haq te sach di ladayi (fight for truth and rights),” he said.