Why will Charanjit Singh Channi have two deputies? Harish Rawat explains

Harish Rawat said it is a mutual feeling that there should be two deputy chief ministers in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh had no deputy when he led the Congress government in Punjab, but new chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi will have two deputy chief ministers, the Congress has decided as the party is readying a team for the upcoming assembly election. Even before the name of Charanjit Singh was announced on Sunday, it was decided that the new Cabinet will have two deputy chief ministers. An ANI report claimed that one will be Hindu and the other will be a Sikh.

The new Punjab Cabinet will have two deputy chief ministers. (HT photo)

Congress leader said the decision to appoint two deputy chief ministers in Punjab was taken as it was felt necessary. "Our mutual feeling is that there should be two deputy CMs. Soon we will take a call on it along with names for the Council of Ministers...Some names have been discussed but it's the CM's prerogative who discusses it with party high command and takes a call," Harish Rawat told ANI.

The CM pick of the Congress has been done after much calculation and keeping nothing but the election in mind, experts have said. Charanjit Singh Channi's appointment will allow the party to play the Dalit card in the state where at least 30 per cent of the population is Dalit, counting both Sikhs and Hindus. "The opposition BJP had earlier announced that if voted to power in Punjab, it will make a Dalit the chief minister, while the Shiromani Akali Dal -- which is fighting the polls in alliance with the BSP -- had said that its deputy CM would be from that community," A PTI report said.

Amid speculations that Charanjit Singh Channi may not be the chief minister face in the upcoming election, Harish Rawat said, “The party's face for theupcoming election will be decided by Congress president. Given the circumstances, elections will be fought with CM's cabinet under Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, whose chief is Navjot Singh Sidhu. He is very popular.”