Punjab CM Channi files papers from Bhadaur, says he’s come to constituency like Sudama
Calls himself a man on a mission to develop Malwa region of the state, dares Kejriwal to contest against him
A day after the Congress fielded chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi from his second seat of Bhadaur, he filed his nomination papers before the returning officer at Tapa on Monday.
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Accompanied by former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and his son and Barnala candidate Manish Bansal, who belongs to Tapa town, Channi claimed that he chose the Bhadaur segment for the development of the Malwa region. “I have come with a mission in Malwa. The area is big but many districts are underdeveloped. Though Capt Amarinder Singh and the Badals have ruled the state, no one paid heed for the development of the region. I want to uplift this area,” Channi said.
“I arrived here as Sudama and the people of Malwa will treat me like Krishna. The Congress will see a big victory in the region in the assembly elections,” he said.
In the first list of candidates released on January 15, the Congress named Channi as its candidate from Chamkaur Sahib, a constituency he has won thrice in a row.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said that Channi was afraid of losing from Chamkaur Sahib since the “illegal sand mining exposure”, prompting the party to field him from Bhadaur segment as well.
Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal also said that Channi was losing from Chamkaur Sahib according to the AAP’s survey.
“I dare Kejriwal to contest against me,” Channi added in response to the Delhi chief minister’s remark.