Charanjit Singh Channi

Indian leader Charanjit Singh Channi was the sixteenth CM of Punjab. Currently, he is India's National Congressperson. He served as leader of the party in the Punjab Legislative Council and Minister of Technical Education and Training in the 2nd Amarinder Singh Cabinet. On March 1, 1963, Charanjit Singh Channi was born.

Early Life

In the Punjabi town of Makrauna Kalan, Channi grew in his early days. He attended Khalsa Senior Secondary School in Kharar. Currently, Channi holds an MBA degree from PTU Jalandhar as well as a law degree from Panjab University. He did PhD in Political Science from Punjab University, Chandigarh. The appointment of his father, Harsa Singh, to the local panchayat sparked Mr Channi's political ambitions.

Political Career

He is a member of the Sikh Dalit group. He was chosen to lead the Kharar municipality committee in 2002 and has never looked back. After capturing his first MLA election as an independent candidate from Chamkaur Sahib, he was appointed for two more periods as a Congress member. He led the Punjab Legislative Party for 2 years (2015 to 2016).

Chief Minister of Punjab

As the previous CM, Amrinder Singh, gave his resignation, in September 2021, Mr Channi was appointed as Chief Minister of Punjab. He was the first Dalit (Scheduled Caste) Sikh who became the Chief Minister of Punjab. Columnists claimed that Congress' selection of Channi as Singh's replacement might have been influenced by Punjab's huge Dalit community and efforts through other groups to appeal to them. On September 20, with Amrinder Singh's council members, Channi, along with the new fifteen ministers, took the pledge.

He announced a few policies after reaching the office. On September 21, Channi pledged to take steps in an irreverence case and declared that he would cancel the electrical costs for water works plans and repair communications. On September 23, he announced that formerly leased "Class D" government employment would now be normalized. Channi opened the Dastan-e-Shahadat theme park near Chamkaur Sahib in November 2021.

The Punjab State Commission for General Category was established with Channi's approval on December 24, 2021. Channi began a free bus service for students on December 30, 2021.

On January 5, 2022, when Prime Minister was travelling through the Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial in the Firozpur region, PM's march was delayed for at least 20 minutes on the flyover due to a protesting farmer's blockade of the Moga-Firozpur route close to the distant town of Piarenana. Channi said he would chant the Mahamrityunjaya Prayer for the PM's protection, but he denied any security failures. In February 2022, he said that Prime Minister took revenge for not taking off his helicopter from Chand?garh.

Channi was named the Congress Chief Ministry nominee for the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls at the end of the legislative assembly session. Another candidate for the Chief Minister was Navjot Singh Sidhu. For the campaign in Punjab for election, members made the slogan "Saada Channi Saada CM," and in February 2022 official song was launched, "Channi Krda Masle Hal" by Surmandeep Mansa.

Channi also participated in the 2022's Punjab Legislative Assembly elections from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur legislative assembly seats but lost both seats to the opponent of the Aam Aadmi Party. Channi sent his resignation letter to the Governor on March 11, 2022, and met Bhagwant Mann (now Chief Minister of Punjab) on March 21, 2022.

Controversies

• When he was inducted from the cabinet of the Punjab government in 2017, his astrologer said he should construct a road in the park outside his house to improve his career in politics. Still, the road was put down by the Authorities for illegal construction. At the same time, he took a ride on an elephant on his lawn, as his astrologer said, for a better political career.
• His video on social media got viral in 2018, in which he was tossing a coin for a post for which two candidates are fought. Based on this video, he was attracted to the controversies for his behaviour for the prestigious post in politics. The members of BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal indicated him for his behaviour. Later, he cleared that both candidates were eligible for the post. Channi further said the candidates themselves asked him to toss the coin that he accepted positively.
• In 2018, Channi's name came for the recommendation of an IAS officer transfer. For this, he came into controversy. The report says that he didn't like the Officer at all.
• Channi was blamed by Aam Aadmi Party's member Sukhpal Khaira for an illegal sand mining case, but later, Channi cleared that he was not involved in such cases. He further said that the photos shown by Khaira were clicked in Public Function. He further included that his family was also not involved in this illegal mining case.
• In May 2021, under the movement of #MeToo by the Punjab Women Commission, one of the cases of 2018 was reopened. In that case, Charanjit Singh Channi was blamed for sending inappropriate messages to an IAS officer Kavita Singh.

Family

Charanjit Singh Channi married Dr Kamaljit Singh. The duo has two sons, Navjit Singh (who did his law degree from PEC University) and Rhythmjit Singh. Channi's father, Mr Harsa Singh elected for the Sarpanch when Channi didn't even start his political career. His mother, late Ajmer Kaur, was a housewife. He has siblings named Manmohan Singh (retired chief engineer), Dr Manohar Singh (specialist in medical for Punjab government), Sukhwant Singh (a budding leader), and one of his sisters named Surinder Kaur.

Facts about Charanjit Singh Channi

• On 20th September 2021, Charanjit Singh Channi was appointed as the Chief Minister of Punjab. Channi was Punjab's 1st Dalit Sikh Chief Minister.
• Charanjit Singh Channi became the sixteenth Chief Minister of Punjab and took the pledge in Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh, on September 20, 2021.
• He arrived on a motorbike driven by previous Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chairman Sunil Jakhar to take the commitment at Raj Bhavan at Chandigarh.
• He attended a local government school in his town for his primary level education.
• His father belonged to a low-income family in Punjab. Later his father went to Malaysia for better earnings and good life. He worked hard in Malaysia and returned to India after his good and wealthy personality. In India, he started his tent house business which he ran. Charanjit Singh Channi, in his childhood, helped his father in the business. Later, his father became the Sarpanch in the native village and a member of Samiti.
• Charanjit Singh Channi is outstanding in handball games and bhangra. At Punjab University, he represented his university in handball and won a gold medal in the Inter-University Sports meet. He further took part in National Scheme Services, National Cadet Corps, debating, as well as other cultural activities at the university.
• He was also selected for student union leader when he studied in class 10^th in Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Kharar. He got 472 votes out of 1000 votes in his school.
• He also won the election, which was held for general secretory in Shri Guru Gobind Singh College, when he was doing his graduation.
• He is well-known for his academic qualifications, which include a master's degree in politics as well as an MBA degree. He once said in the media that he wanted to be excellent in his studies. He said he got inspired by his brother Manmohan Singh. He further said his brother got his degree while working in a government office.
• Channi's career in politics began in 2002 when he had been chosen for the fourteenth Punjab Vidhan Sabha's opposition party. For two years, he presided over Kharar's Municipal Council. Later, he worked on Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Privileges Committee, and for Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
• Channi defeated a congressperson in the Chamkaur Sahib District poll, and he won that election on his own. After his victory, he spoke with Shiromani Akali Dal and then was elected as an associate person of the legislature. Captain Amrinder Singh returned Channi towards the Indian National Congress on December 2010.
• Harish Rawat (Senior of the Congress) announced on Twitter that Charanjit Singh Channi had been appointed as Punjab's sixteenth Chief Minister.
• Charanjit Singh Channi once said that he loves to travel a lot, and his favourite places to travel include Singapore, England, Dubai, and South Korea.
• Channi performed the bhangra during an occasion in Kapurthala, Punjab, just a few days after being appointed as Chief Minister of Punjab. A clip of the newly appointed Chief Minister showing his dance steps on a podium with a folk performer became popular on social media.
• Channi attempted to establish positive connections with Rahul Gandhi with the support of CP Joshi, a senior congress member, after joining the Indian National Congress in 2010.

Income and Net Worth

On Monday, Channi submitted his application for the Bhadaur post in the Barnala region. The Congress nominated Channi for one of two Assembly seats, one of which is Chamkaur Sahib. As per his submitted campaign papers, Channi disclosed that he owns assets of around Rs. 9.44 crore. Channi bought a Toyota Fortuner SUV worth Rs. 32.57 lakh (approx.), according to his election papers, whereas his wife, a doctor, owned two cars total of around Rs. 45.99 lakh.

According to the document, there is one residential home of 14,062 sq. ft of size in Morinda registered in Channi's identity and another residential property with 13,500 sq. ft in Kharar in Mohali in his wife's name. According to his statement, Channi and his wife's entire obligations, along with a vehicle loan, are nearly equal to the amount of Rs. 88.35 lakh (estimated). Channi has disclosed total earnings of around Rs. 27.84 lakh for 2020-21.