AAP’s Bhagwant Mann Is CM Face, As Channi, Sidhu Await Congress’ Official Choice

The Aam Aadmi Party expectedly named Bhagwant Mann as its Punjab chief ministerial face after an overwhelming two lakh people phoned in backing him. Arvind Kejriwal played safe and has opted for a popular Jat Sikh, overlooking his tipeler interests. A popular comedian, Mann is a two-term Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur. Punjab has never boasted a non-Jat Sikh CMs since its formation in 1966, barring former President Giani Zail Singh (1972-77) – a Ramgarhia Sikh. The Congress has shied away from officially announcing its CM face or even its stated preference between Dalit CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Jat Sikh leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, apart from hosting a brief Sonu Sood video featuring Channi on its twitter handle. While the media views it as the crowning of Channi, there’s still no official word on it. With ED acting on a 2018 FIR of Punjab Police against companies and individuals involved in illegal sand mining including raids on Channi’s nephew, it appears less likely the Congress will prop him up. “Punjab CM and his relatives are involved in illegal sand mining”, declared Kejriwal. With AAP no longer worried about Channi as the Congress CM face, he may be eased out post elections like Maharashtra Dalit Congress CM Sushil Kumar Shinde, who won the 2004 elections but, was replaced as Maharashtra CM by the dominant Maratha Vilasrao Deshmukh.