Punjab polls: Congress' CM candidate to be announced soon, says Sachin Pilot

Sachin Pilot said, "Like Rahul Gandhi had said we do not usually declare the situation in state but the situation here is different. Workers had demanded the chief ministerial face. So Rahul Gandhi said that announcement will be made soon after consulting the workers."

File Photo

Chandigarh: Amid the logjam over the chief ministerial face of Congress in Punjab, party leader Sachin Pilot on Friday said that the announcement regarding this will be made soon after consultation with party workers.

"Like Rahul Gandhi had said we do not usually declare the situation in state but the situation here is different. Workers had demanded the chief ministerial face. So Rahul Gandhi said that announcement will be made soon after consulting the workers," Pilot said.

After Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to announce the Chief Ministerial face for the Punjab Assembly elections on Thursday, the Wayanad MP said that decision will be taken by the party workers.

Addressing a virtual rally in Jalandhar, Rahul Gandhi had said, "We have had a talk in the car that who will lead Punjab going forward. Media people call this the CM candidate. Both Channiji and Sidhuji told me that this is the most crucial question in front of Punjab that who will lead the Congress."

He further said that both Channi and Sidhu assured him that whoever be the chief ministerial face for Punjab, the other person will support him."See, two people cannot lead. Only one will lead. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu assured me that whoever becomes the chief ministerial face, the other person will support him. I was listening to them. I was happy. We will ask Congress workers to decide Punjab chief ministerial candidate," Rahul Gandhi had said.

There have been speculations of apparent tension between CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress state president Navjot Singh Sidhu. Punjab will go to the assembly polls on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.