Charanjit Singh Channi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 4 June 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sushil Kumar Rinku |
| Constituency | Jalandhar |
| Majority | 1,75,993 |
| 16thChief Minister of Punjab | |
| In office 20 September 2021 – 16 March 2022 | |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Amarinder Singh |
| Succeeded by | Bhagwant Mann |
| Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 30 January 2007 – 16 March 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Satwant Kaur |
| Succeeded by | Charanjit Singh |
| Constituency | Chamkaur Sahib |
| Cabinet Minister Government of Punjab | |
| In office 16 March 2017 – 18 September 2021 | |
| Governor | V. P. Singh Badnore Banwarilal Purohit |
| Chief Minister | Amarinder Singh |
| Ministry |
|
| Leader of Opposition of the Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 11 December 2015 – 11 November 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Sunil Jakhar |
| Succeeded by | Harvinder Singh Phoolka |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1963-03-15)15 March 1963 (age 62)[1] |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Political party |  Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Dr. Kamaljit Kaur |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | Kharar, SAS Nagar, Mohali |
| Alma mater | Panjab University (B.A., L.L.B., PhD) I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
Charanjit Singh Channi[1] (born 15 March 1963) is an Indian politician who served as the 16thChief Minister ofPunjab and also as leader of the house in assembly. He is a member of theIndian National Congress.[2] He is serving as aMember of the Lok Sabha fromJalandhar Lok Sabha constituency since 4 June 2024.[3][4] He was also Minister of Technical Education and Training inSecond Amarinder Singh ministry andleader of the opposition in thePunjab Legislative Assembly.[2]
Channi was born in the village of Makrauna Kalan,Punjab.[2] He studied law atPanjab University and has anMBA fromPTU Jalandhar.[2] He was awardedPhD in the 70th convocation ofPanjab University (PU) byVice Chancellor Renu Vig inpolitical science in topic related to theIndian National Congress with Professor Emanual Nahar as his guide. Now he is aPhD Holder inPolitical Science.[5] He belongs to theDalitSikh Community.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
Charanjit Singh Channi is married to Dr. Kamaljit Kaur, a medical professional. The couple have two sons.[12] His elder son, Navjit Singh, has actively entered politics. In July 2023, he was elected as the District Youth Congress President ofRupnagar with a significant margin, securing 12,415 votes. His opponent received fewer than 1,500 votes, highlighting his strong support base.[13]
Channi started at the grassroots level by serving as a municipal councillor inKharar, Punjab. This role helped him gain experience in local administration and governance. His leadership abilities were recognized, and he became the president of the Kharar municipal council in 2002, handling civic issues and development projects in the town..[14]
In 2007, Channi was elected to thePunjab Legislative Assembly as an Independent candidate from theChamkaur Sahib constituency, marking his entry into state-level politics.[15] Then he joined Congress and retained his seat, demonstrating strong electoral support and political acumen during the State Assembly elections held in2012[16] and2017.[17]
Channi served as theleader of opposition in thePunjab Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2016, and this position provided him a platform to critique government policies and establish himself as a key Congress leader in Punjab.[2]
Charanjit Singh Channi served as acabinet minister in thePunjab government underChief Minister Amarinder Singh. He was in charge of the Technical Education and Training portfolio, which involved overseeing technical institutions, vocational training programs, and skill development initiatives in the state. During his tenure, he focused on upgrading technical institutions in Punjab, ensuring that infrastructure and curriculum met modern industry standards.[2]
In September 2021, he succeeded CaptainAmarinder Singh asChief Minister of Punjab after the latter'sresignation.[2][18] He is the firstDalitSikh Chief Minister of Punjab.[19][20][21][22] Commentators suggested that Punjab's large Dalit population and attempts by other parties to appeal to it may have influenced Congress's choice of Channi as Singh's successor.[23][24]
On 26 September fifteen new ministers were sworn in; several ministers from theSecond Amarinder Singh ministry were retained.[25][26]
Soon after taking office, Channi made several policy announcements. On 21 September he promised action concerning asacrilege case and said that the electricity bills of water works schemes would be waived and connections would be restored.[27] On 23 September he stated "Class D" government jobs would be regularised; they were previously outsourced.[28] In November 2021, Channi inaugurated his dream projectDastaan-e-Shahadat theme park atChamkaur Sahib.[29]
On 24 December 2021, Channi approved setting up Punjab State Commission for General Category.[30] Congress leader Navjot Dahiya was appointed its first chairman.[31] On 30 December 2021, Channi started free bus travel for students.[32]
Within his first 100 days, Channi’s administration set up academic chairs in honor of notable figures like Bhagwan Valmiki, Guru Ravidass, Bhai Jaita (Baba Jiwan Singh), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Bhai Makhan Shah Labana.[33]
In December 2021, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi announced a fine of ₹25,000 for violations of sand mining norms. This was part of a broader effort to curb illegal extraction and to stabilize sand prices, which were capped at ₹5.50 per cubic foot. District officials were directed to maintain strict vigilance at mining sites, and Deputy Commissioners were instructed to offer the ₹25,000 reward to anyone who provided proof video or otherwise of norm violations. Additionally, panchayats seeking sand were to receive it free of cost, and only trucks (not tractor-trailers) were to be charged at the fixed rate. The CM also urged the reopening of previously closed legitimate mining sites and emphasized that no political interference would be tolerated.[34][35]
On 5 January 2022, inFirozpur district PMNarendra Modi's cavalcade was stranded for 15–20 minutes on flyover as protesting farmers blocked the Moga-Firozpur highway near Piarenana village far away while he was en route toHussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial.[36][37] Criticized byBharatiya Janata Party, Channi denied any security lapse and stated he will reciteMahāmrityunjaya Mantra for PM's safety.[38] In February 2022, Channi alleged that Modi has taken revenge by denying permission for his helicopter to fly from Chandigarh.[39]
At the end of the legislative assembly term, Channi was appointed the Chief Ministerial candidate of Congress for the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.Navjot Singh Sidhu was the other contender expecting to be the CM candidate.[40] The official campaign was namedSada Channi, Sada CM (Our Channi, Our CM).[41] Official campaign songChanni Karda Masle Hal by singer Surmandeep Mansa was launched in February 2022.[42]
He contested the2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election fromChamkaur Sahib andBhadaur legislative assembly constituencies, but lost both the seats to his opponents from theAam Aadmi Party.[43] On 11 March 2022, Channi submitted his resignation to Governor.[44] On 21 March 2022, he met and congratulated his successorBhagwant Mann.[45]
Channi contested the2024 Lok Sabha election from theJalandhar constituency on a Congress ticket. He secured a landslide victory, defeatingBJP’sSushil Kumar Rinku by a margin of 175,993 votes. He garnered a total of 390,053 votes, compared to Rinku’s 214,060. This win not only showcased his strong electoral appeal but also marked a significant gain for the Congress party in Punjab.[46][47]
| Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Opponent Party | Opponent Votes | % | Result | Margin | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Bhadaur | INC | 26,409 | 21.09 | Labh Singh Ugoke | AAP | 63,967 | 51.07 | Lost | -37,558 | -29.98 | ||
| Chamkaur Sahib | 62,306 | 42.22 | Dr. Charanjit Singh | 70,248 | 47.60 | Lost | -7,942 | -5.38 | |||||
| 2017 | 61,060 | 42.00 | 48,752 | 33.53 | Won | 12,308 | 8.47 | ||||||
| 2012 | 54,640 | 41.26 | Jagmeet Kaur | SAD | 50,981 | 38.50 | Won | 3,659 | 2.76 | ||||
| 2007 | Chamkaur Sahib | Independent | 37,946 | 42.00 | Satwant Kaur | SAD | 36,188 | 40.1 | Won | 1,758 | 1.9 | ||
| Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Opponent Party | Opponent Votes | % | Result | Margin | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jalandhar | INC | 390,053 | 39.43 | Sushil Kumar Rinku | BJP | 214,060 | 21.64 | Won | 175,993 | 17.79 | ||
