Channi, the only Congress option

Punjab Chief Minister, Charanjit Singh Channi has come under renewed attack from not only the opposition but also from some of his own colleagues, who believe that he is likely to be named as the Chief Ministerial face of the Congress on Sunday.
Although several opinion polls have shown Aam Aadmi Party to be ahead of the Congress in the border state, yet it is evident that the 58-year-old politician is emerging as the most suited person to be the next CM, in the event his party wins. Channi has completely neutralised the concept of the Aam Aadmi as enunciated by Arvind Kejriwal; he is an Aam Aadmi who has risen to his position despite coming from a deprived background. In fact, he fits the description of the Aam Aadmi more than anybody else aspiring to get elected to the coveted post.
Attempts are being made to tar his image and AAP leaders who have been most affected by his rise are describing him as a “sand thief” following the arrest of his relative by the Enforcement Directorate in an ongoing case, after nearly Rs 10 crore in cash were recovered from his possession.
In his defence, the Chief Minister has stated that ever since he assumed office, the ruling dispensation at the Centre and some of his opponents were trying to malign him in order to mentally harass him. He has stated that those guilty should be punished but his integrity was unimpeachable, which time will prove. He dismissed the allegations, calling them poll related and said that things would become normal once the dust settles.
The Shiromani Akali Dal, which for the first time is lagging behind its opponents, is desperately trying to make itself relevant. Sukhbir Singh Badal declared on Friday that Channi could be arrested in the immediate future for his alleged corruption and it would be the end of the road for him. His party faces serious allegations as well.
The BJP, which is trying to make inroads to restore some of its lost prestige in the state, is also going all hammer and tongs at him. In this Channi versus the rest battle, the BJP does not seem to mind that the ultimate beneficiary of their actions against the Chief Minister would be AAP rather than their own candidates. This is the reason some Congress leaders have described the AAP as the “B” team of the RSS, whose aim is to prevent the Congress from retaining power in Punjab.
However, the leader most threatened by Channi’s rise is none other than Navjot Singh Sidhu, the maverick Pradesh Congress president who on Friday brought the Congress high command in the line of his attack. Sidhu, who is unfamiliar with the way the Congress functions, has stated that the central leaders wanted “a weak Chief Minister”, who could be manipulated from New Delhi.
The former cricketer does not understand the likely repercussions of his charge since by challenging the high command, he could have put his own future at risk. As things stand, Sidhu is fighting a political battle of survival from Amritsar East, where he has been surrounded by the Akalis, BJP and AAP in accordance with a plan strategised by Captain Amarinder Singh.
In fact, Sidhu should think twice before attacking Channi since he has virtually no political options left if he loses from his seat or gets booted out of the Congress for his alleged anti-party activities. He has burnt his bridges with the BJP, and AAP and the Akalis would want to see him out of politics as early as possible. The same goes for Amarinder Singh, who under no circumstances can ever forgive him.
The Congress leadership by agreeing to name the CM face has nobody but itself to blame. When the poll process commenced, roles of three leaders were clearly demarcated. Channi was the head of the government, Sidhu the president of the state unit and Sunil Jakhar, the chairman of the campaign committee. While Channi is the only one who has carried out his responsibilities, both Sidhu and Jakhar are getting restive.
There is little point in rocking the boat as the consequences would impact virtually all of them. Sidhu must understand that the Congress high command made him the state president against the wishes of senior leaders and if he expects that he would be shown another favour, he must be living in a fool’s paradise.
Similarly, Sunil Jakhar must act like a responsible politician and stick to his mandate. His task is to project a united face of the party in the campaign instead of throwing his hat in the ring when he is not even contesting.
The Gandhis have to do some tightrope walking at this stage to ensure that one state where they were poised to win for the second consecutive tenure, does not slip away from their hands. They must weigh things politically and factor in the uniqueness of Punjab, which witnessed more than 30,000 deaths during the peak of militancy.
Even the worst critics of Rahul Gandhi have praised him for his choice in Punjab and he should not lose sight of this huge advantage that his party has with Channi at the helm of affairs.
Sidhu is the main target of the Captain, Akalis and the BJP, but there is little they have against Channi, who is the best bet of the Congress. Between us.