Amid political turmoil, Punjab on Sunday got its first Dalit Chief Minister after Charanjit Singh Channi — who was never in the race — emerged victorious for the post. He virtually pushed off-track senior Congress leaders Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who lost just near the finish line at a time when celebrations were planned to commemorate his win.

Channi, a grassroots-level leader belonging to the Ramdasia Sikh community, would be replacing two-time Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who resigned a day before citing continuous

humiliation by the party high command.

The last minute change in fortunes came as the combination of being a Dalit and a Sikh worked in his favour in the last leg of the race, coupled with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu’s concurrence. The Congress party’s ‘masterstroke’ came at a time when all the opposition parties are exercising their franchise in favour of the reserved category vote bank with elections now less than a few months away.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which had tied up with the Bahujan Samaj Party which enjoys considerable support base among the State’s Dalit population for contesting 2022 Assembly polls, was first to announce to appoint a Dalit leader as the Deputy Chief Minister if voted to power.

Its old ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has also declared to have a Dalit candidate as Punjab’s Chief Minister in a State with highest population density of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), which is close to 32 per cent.

Channi’s elevation came as a surprise as his name was never in the reckoning after a virtual war of Hindu vs Sikh face ensued in the Congress. All through the day, the favourites kept changing.

Till Sunday morning, Sunil Jakhar was considered frontrunner for the top job.

Then the reports of former Union Minister Ambika Soni rejecting the party high command’s offer came in. Sources told The Pioneer that Soni said “no” at a late-night meeting with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi while stressing on the “ramifications” of a non-Sikh Chief Minister in a Sikh-dominated state, especially with an election due. Subsequently, the scheduled Congress Legislative Party meeting, to zero in on a name for the Chief Minister’s post, was deferred.

State party affairs’ general secretary-in-charge Harish Rawat and two Central observers Ajay Maken and Harish Chaudhary held closed-door meetings with several party leaders, including Sidhu and Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa-whose names were doing the rounds for the top job.

Then reports of Randhawa being unanimously elected the CLP leader emerged, but sources maintained that discussions were still going on, and no final decision had been taken. It has been learnt that Randhawa opposed Jakhar’s name contending that a non-Sikh should not be elected the CM.

Sidhu too staked his claims insisting that if a Jat Sikh is to be appointed, he should be considered. It has been learnt that the MLAs were asked about their choices for the CM’s post, and Jakhar was the favourite with maximum 41 MLAs coming in his support, while 17 MLAs backed Randhawa’s name. Reports are that nine MLAs, reportedly owing allegiance to Capt Amarinder, also suggested MP Preneet Kaur’s name.

And in a cliff-hanger finish, spreading over two days, Rawat announced Channi’s elevation in the evening. He was unanimously elected the CLP leader, for the second time, and is set to take oath as the Chief Minister on Monday at 11 am.

It has been learnt that state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal played a significant role in the background in Channi’s elevation. Sources informed that he suggested Channi’s name contending that appointing a Dalit Chief Minister ahead polls would be a game changing move

for the party.