Punjab CM Channi stops to wish newly-married couple in Bathinda. Watch

Punjab CM Channi, who was on a tour of the cotton belt in Bathinda district, blessed the newly-wed couple and also talked to their family.

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday stopped to wish a newly-married couple in a small village in the state’s Bathinda district. “During his visit to Bathinda today, Chief Minister @CHARANJITCHANNI spotted a newly married couple at village Mandi Kalan and suddenly stopped his vehicle to convey his best wishes,” the Punjab government tweeted and posted a video of Channi meeting the couple.

Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi met the couple in Mandi Kalan.  (ANI File Photo)

The 26-second clip shows the chief minister, who was on a tour of the cotton belt in the Bathinda district, hugging the man and also giving 'shagun' to his wife. Channi, who is seen surrounded by several police personnel and other people, is also seen tasting some sweets offered to him by the family. Channi is heard asking when did the couple get married to which a woman from the family replies that the wedding took place on Saturday. The Punjab CM is also seen conveying his best wishes to the newly-wed with folded hands.

Last week, Channi was spotted performing Punjab's folk dance, bhangra, with university students at an event in Kapurthala. Wearing a white kurta-pyjama and a yellow turban, Channi danced along with students of IK Gujral Punjab Technical University. The video of Channi dancing to the song, "Nachde Punjabi Kinne Sohne Lagde" later went viral on social media. After the performance, the chief minister hugged the students, who touched his feet.

Channi was visiting Katar Singhwala and Nabispura villages, located on Bathinda’s outskirts, along with deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to meet farmers and assess the loss because of pink bollworm pest. He assured the farmers that the state government will provide pesticides to them for free to control an outbreak of pink bollworm in the cotton-growing belt of Punjab.

Later in the day, Channi also expanded his cabinet and inducted 15 ministers amid an outpouring of dissent against some of those selected for ministerial berths. Channi inducted six new ministers in his cabinet and retained eight from the Captain Amarinder Singh-led setup. He also brought back former minister Rana Gurjit Singh, whose inclusion triggered protests by some party leaders.