Rahul Gandhi to announce Congress's CM face for Punjab on Feb 6

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will announce his party’s Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls on February 6 in Ludhiana, said party state in-charge, Harish Chaudhary on Friday.

Addressing the media at party headquarters here, Chaudhary said, "Rahul Gandhi will address a virtual rally in Ludhiana on February 6 and during the event, he will announce the CM face.

Chaudhary said that the decision will be taken respecting the sentiments of the Congress workers and the people of Punjab.

“Respecting the guidelines of the election commission, the candidates of the party from all 117 constituencies will attend the virtual rally by maintaining the gathering at their respective venues as per the permissible limit,” said Chaudhary.

Who are the key contenders?

The key contenders for the CM race in Punjab from Congress are emerging to be CM Charanjit Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, who last year had been in news for trying to take over from former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh which led to his exit from the Congress party.

Sidhu also targeted his colleague Channi publicly on Friday after the incumbent CM’s nephew was arrested by ED in a land mining scam and said Punjab should elect someone with moral authority.

Charanjit Channi’s nephew’s arrest

Chaudhary also issued a clarification on incumbent CM Charanjit Singh Channi`s nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey’s arrest by the ED in a sand mining scam and said that the Congress leader or his family has nothing to with the charge adding that the BJP "always has always misused" the Central agencies before the elections.

"In the past also, this central government had adopted such tactics to put pressure on the opposition parties ahead of elections.

He added that CM Channi had supported the farmers during the farmers` movement. Apart from this, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state in January where he was stuck on a flyover, CM Channi had said that he will not charge lathi on farmers.

He alleged that the Central government is taking revenge and targeting the Chief Minister.

Chaudhary said that the Congress party, its workers, and the people of Punjab are standing with Chief Minister Channi and will give a befitting reply to the people who are adopting "cheap tactics", in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

Punjab will go to the polls on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(With agency inputs)