Terming former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi a “liability” and “villain”, former Punjab Congress chief and senior party leader Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said he had serious reservations against Channi being made the chief minister and had made it clear to the party high command, including Rahul Gandhi.

In an interview to News18.com, Jakhar, who headed the campaign committee for the 2022 state assembly polls, said when Channi was made the chief minister, he was offered the role of the deputy CM by Rahul Gandhi, which he turned down.

“I told him clearly that I don’t accept him as my leader. I would work for the party in whatever way I can, but I can’t work under him,” said Jakhar. “Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Channi both are liabilities, and the party is turning into a company filing for bankruptcy.”

Jakhar said, “Channi was chosen by the high command as they thought he was poor and had an honest background…But he had the most corrupt credentials.”

Revealing what had transpired in the run-up to the polls, Jakhar said when the campaign committee had met under him, it was conveyed to him that the issues of the people would be highlighted.

“Instead, they chose to highlight Channi, knowing very well that he had a dubious record and the image of a clean, poor politician would not stick.”

Referring to statements by some Congress leaders that despite the loss, Channi continued to be an asset, an agitated Jakhar retorted, “He is being made out to be the hero, while he is clearly the villain.”

On allegations from a section of the party that he was responsible for weaning away Hindu votes from the party by his statement, Jakhar hit out at some senior party leaders, including Ambika Soni, for creating that divide.

“It was she who sowed the seeds of hatred by making a statement that only a Jat Sikh can be the chief minister. Even the head of Panthic seat Akal Takht Jathedar had said that irrespective of the religion, a person whose heart throbs for Punjab can be the CM. Yet, she made such a divisive statement.”

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Jakhar said it was evident that Sidhu was playing the role of both the government as well as the opposition. “He does not have the capability to take people along with him. He needs to mend his ways or else he should be shown the door and given some other role. You can’t be berating your own government,’’ he said.

Denying that it was the end of the road for the party, he said that if decisions are taken in right and transparent manner, the Punjab Congress can still bounce back.

“We were reduced to 14 seats in 1997 and 17 in 1977 before that, yet we won 77 seats in 2017. It is not as if we have hit rock bottom. We just need to listen to people who care for the party and take decisions in the right direction.”

He said that the Gandhis need to listen to the right kind of voices. “They need to be careful in choosing whom to trust and assign responsibilities. They reposed their faith in Channi and Sidhu and the results are for everyone to see.”

Jakhar maintained that the party should have handled the Captain Amarinder Singh saga well. “There were differences between the party and him. The situation should have been handled better…the results would have been better. He could have been told firmly to fill the communication gap between him and the issues could have been sorted.”

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