Manthan 2021 Punjab: Channi is not a Dalit, he is capable man so made chief minister, says Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Captain Amarinder Singh praised his successor and incumbent Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi and called him a “capable man”.

Speaking at the News 24 Conclave – Manthan 2021 Punjab – Amarinder Singh, before he went on to answer a question on Charanjit Singh Channi, said Indian society must not be divided along lines of caste and that India needed to come out of the mentality of caste.

“He (CM Channi) is capable man and he was my minister. He has got the job because of his capability and not because he is Dalit,” Captain Amarinder said.

Amarinder added, “He (CM Channi) came in a comprise, never was in fray. He was the right choice.”

Earlier in September, Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi took oath as Punjab’s 16th Chief Minister.

Channi a three-time MLA from Rupnagar’s Chamkaur Sahib – became Punjab’s first Dalit Chief Minister. He had served as Technical Education Minister in the Captain Amarinder Singh government.

Also Read: Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as Punjab Chief Minister

After several rounds of parleys, Channi’s name was picked and finalised for the post of the Chief Minister by the Congress high command.

The tenure of Channi as a Chief Minister is short as Punjab will go to polls in early 2022.

Earlier in the conclave, Captain Amarinder ruled out any possibility of alliance with any political party other than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), given the condition that they will have to first find a solution to the ongoing farmers’ issue.

“We have made it absolutely clear, we will wait for BJP to solve the farmers’ issue,” the former Punjab CM said, adding that his new party – Punjab Lok Congress – will form an alliance with any other party other than BJP.

Also Read: Manthan 2021 Punjab: Capt Amarinder Singh will go into alliance with BJP only, given it solves farmers’ issue

Singh went on to say, “Once the farmers’ issue is over we will have seat adjustment with BJP.”

Amarinder also said he wants to remove both Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab.

Also Read: Manthan 2021 Punjab: ‘Want to wipe out Congress, SAD,’ says Captain Amarinder Singh

Earlier this month, Amarinder Singh tendered his resignation to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and even highlighted the reasons from stepping down from the party.