Punjab:42 MLAs favoured me, Only 2 for Channi,Sunil Jakhar

All is not well in Punjab Congress. Latest crisis has been cropped up by a statement of former state unit chief Sunil Jakhar. Jakhar claimed that 42 of the 79 party MLAs wanted him to take over as the chief minister after Amarinder Singh stepped down, while only two MLAs favoured Charanjit Singh Channi. Giving details, he said 16 MLAs were in support of Sukhjinder Randhawa, the present deputy CM, 12 MLAs were in favour of Captain Amarinder Singh's wife Preneet Kaur for the deputy CM post. Six MLAs wanted Sidhu as the chief minister. Jakhar also said he declined the offer to be the deputy chief minister. Jakhar's claim at a public meeting in his Abohar constituency on Tuesday comes as significant as he is a frontrunner to be the CM face of the Congress for the coming election. 

Commenting on the crisis, Union minister and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said this is nothing new. "When Nehruji had become the Congress chief, everyone supported Patel ji, not him. If Patel ji was not respected, how can you expect it for Jakhar ji?" she said. Later in an interview to a channel, Jakhar said that he was upset because he was rejected for being a Hindu. HJale was hurt that 'advisors sitting in Delhi said that a Sikh face would be suitable for the CM post'. "Punjab is secular," Jakhar said.