Chandigarh, Sep 19 (UNI) Gong for a Dalit face in Punjab months ahead of polls, Congress on Sunday announced MLA Charanjit Singh Channi as the new Chief Minister of the state, a day after miffed Amarinder Singh resigned.
Channi, 58, is a three-time MLA from Rupnagar's Chamkaur Sahib and will be the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab. His elevation came after marathon meetings in Chandigarh and Delhi, and strong demand by a group of MLAs to pick a Dalit CM.
Dalits are an estimated 31 per cent of Punjab's population. It comes as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab has tied up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to woo Dalit voters, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has appointed Dalit leader Harpal Singh Cheema as leader of opposition in the state assembly.