Former Punjab CM Channi says party high command allowed him to skip CWC meet for Panjab University exam

CHANDIGARH: Putting all speculations to rest, former Punjab chief minister and sitting Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, Charanjit Singh Channi, on Thursday remarked the party high command allowed him to skip the Congress Working Committee (CWC) gathering as he was to appear.

Key points

• He had additionally skipped an event during the Lok Sabha session when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to speak in the House.
• Channi had stayed away from Punjab Congress in charge Bhupesh Baghel's extended visit to the state for organisational activities.
• Channi, who is the sitting MP from Jalandhar, holds a PhD in Political Science from Panjab University and is at present pursuing a master's degree in public administration.
• Baghel spent around 10 days in the state, holding meetings and interacting with party leaders and workers, but Channi remained absent.
• Nevertheless, party insiders say Channi is among the leaders seeking Warring's removal from the post.

Channi's absence had triggered fresh political speculation within the Punjab Congress, particularly at a time when differences among senior party leaders over the leadership of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring remain unresolved.

Channi, who is the sitting MP from Jalandhar, holds a PhD in Political Science from Panjab University and is at present pursuing a master's degree in public administration. He has additionally expressed interest in further research in the area of public policy reforms.

Talking to the media at the Panjab University campus while replying to a question on skipping the CWC session, Channi stated he had been studying for the past four and a half years.

"I had sought written permission from the party high command saying that I won't be able to attend the session on Wednesday. Had I missed my paper, my degree would have obtained delayed by a year. And due to this, the research work. It I want to pursue, would have additionally secured delayed."

Speaking regarding the master's course, Channi stated Thursday was his last examination for the Master's in Public Administration and that he wanted to undertake research in policy reforms and pursue a PhD programme in this regard from Panjab University. "My subject will be how reforms can be brought in policy and put Punjab on the development track, " he remarked.

Expressing confidence that Congress would form the next administration in Punjab, he stated they would bring such reforms that a administration employee would not be able to indulge in corruption.

He additionally spoke concerning free education and free healthcare for individuals if Congress forms the next administration in the state. "When Congress forms the government, we will implement this model, " Channi continued.

His decision to skip the CWC session came against the backdrop of a series of recent absences from significant party programmes.

He had additionally skipped an event during the Lok Sabha session when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to speak in the House. Instead, Channi attended a protest in Faridkot organised by Kushaldeep Singh Kikki Dhillon, another leader resisted to Warring's leadership.

Although a number of senior Punjab Congress leaders have openly questioned the Punjab Congress president's leadership ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, channi has not publicly aligned himself with the rebellion against Warring. Nevertheless, party insiders say Channi is among the leaders seeking Warring's removal from the post.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and the chief ministers of Congress ruled states were among the senior party leaders who attended the marathon CWC session held in the aftermath of the students' agitation over paper leaks and the Ram temple donations row.

In practice, the session of the CWC, the party's highest decision making body, was held in Delhi on Wednesday.

Taken together, the developments around former Punjab CM Channi says party high command allowed him to skip point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.