Channi nudges Congress to name candidate for CM, with a hint: he is quite popular

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made the remarks while responding to a question on whether the Congress should declare its CM candidate, during an interview to a local channel, Pro Punjab TV.

3 min readChandigarhUpdated: Jan 12, 2022 07:58 AM IST

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Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. (File)

Signalling more trouble for the Congress ahead of the elections in Punjab, where the party faces infighting, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said on Tuesday that the party “should announce” its chief ministerial candidate. “Whenever the party has not announced the CM candidate, it has lost,” he said.

Channi made the remarks while responding to a question on whether the Congress should declare its CM candidate, during an interview to a local channel, Pro Punjab TV.

“When the party declared its CM candidate during the 2017 elections, it won. Before that, when it did not declare the candidate, it lost. Whenever the party has not announced the CM candidate, it has lost. So the party should announce it,” he said.

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He went to say that he was a popular leader and people waved at him and broke barricades to meet him. Channi, however, refused to comment when asked who should be the CM candidate. He said the party would decide that.

Channi’s statement comes at a time when the Congress has made it clear that it will not declare its CM candidate ahead of the Assembly elections.

Till a few days ago, Punjab PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was also pushing the party high command to announce the CM candidate. Sidhu has indicated that he should be declared the CM candidate, saying he has an agenda for Punjab and a roadmap to implement it. He has also said that the AAP lost the 2017 elections because it did not have a CM candidate.

While Sidhu has not raised the issue since Congress general secretary K C Venugopal held a meeting with three Cabinet ministers from Punjab last week, he officially launched his “Punjab Model” on Tuesday, and said it would be part of the party’s manifesto.

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A PTI report also quoted Sidhu as saying that the people of Punjab would choose the CM, not the party high command. Responding to a question, he was quoted as saying: “Who told you that the high command will make the CM? … People of Punjab will elect MLAs and people of Punjab too will make the CM.”

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More