Chandigarh: Even before the first Dalit chief minister of Punjab, Charanjit Singh Channi, assumed office, the Punjab Congress is showing a sign of another round of infighting over the leadership ahead of assembly elections in 2022. 

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and in charge Harish Rawat have a difference of opinion over who will lead the party during the assembly elections. 

Reacting to Congress leader Harish Rawat’s statement that the party will be fighting the upcoming Assembly polls under Sidhu, former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Sunil Jakhar tweeted, “On the swearing-in day of @Charnjit_channi as Chief Minister, Mr Rawats’s statement that “elections will be fought under Sidhu”, is baffling. It’s likely to undermine CM’s authority but also negate the very ‘raison d’être’ of his selection for this position.”

The Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat, had told a TV channel that PPCC Navjot Singh Sidhu would be the next CM if Congress came to power in the state.

Read: Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as Punjab Chief Minister

Jakhar was also reported to be the chief minister after Capt. Amarinder Singh resigned. But the party MLAs and the party high command selected Charanjit Singh Channi. Jakhar was made the chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in 2017. Following the political slugfest between Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, Jakhar quit as PPCC president and Sidhu was appointed the new chief.

The 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections will be held in February or March 2022, to elect 117 members for 16th Assembly of Punjab Legislative Assembly. The term of the current assembly elected in 2017 will expire on 27 March 2022 unless dissolved sooner.