Punjab elections: CM Channi lambasts Majithia over 'frivolous' allegations

Following the continued allegations against him, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday lashed out at Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. CM Channi termed the allegations levelled against him ‘baseless and frivolous’ and dared Majithia to present proof indicating his involvement in the Punjab sand mining case, said a press release. The CM any link with the money laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.

CM Channi on Saturday said that Bhupinder Singh Honey was his relative and having pictures with him is normal. He rubbished the allegations against him of being involved in the money laundering case. “I have never denied my relationship with my nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey and being a relative he might be present at some of my functions. It is not a crime if I get clicked with my relatives at my son’s marriage or some other functions,” CM Channi said.

The CM attacked Majithia for the slanderous and misleading campaign against him and said that the opposition leader was being controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party government. He claimed that the SAD leader is trying to take revenge over the NDPS case charged against him. CM Channi also noted that the earlier former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, who is in cahoots with SAD-BJP, had covered up the cases and allegations against him.

Channi lambasts Majithia over relationship with drug peddlers

Questioning Majithia on the recent cases against him, CM Channi said, “Let me remind Majithia that he was investigated by ED for his relations with drug peddlers and a drug kingpin named him for sheltering and facilitating the smuggling of drugs. Majithia’s photos were with them, does it mean he knew them and sheltering them?” CM asked Majithia to explain the relationship he held with the drug peddlers booked. “Being a CM I get clicked with thousands of people every day, does it mean, I am linked to them?” he questioned Majithia, who is SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal’s brother-in-law.

Furthermore, Charanjit Channi reiterated that the ED’s raid was a ‘political vendetta’ ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections. “BJP is using central agencies to take revenge from me after PM Modi’s fiasco and opposition is now taking now playing politics over the issue in Punjab,” CM alleged.

Congress backs Charanjit Singh Channi for CM face

As the Congress party has not yet declared the Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming Punjab elections, sources informed that grand old party leaders want current CM Charanjit Singh Channi to be the CM face. There is also a growing clamour within the party over the necessity of having a CM face. Though the Congress high command has so far maintained that the party will fight the February 20 elections to the 117-member assembly under a "collective leadership", many leaders in its state unit are seeking that the air surrounding the issue be cleared at the earliest.

Earlier, in 2012 and 2017, the party had declared its CM candidate ahead of the elections, senior leader and minister Brahm Mohindra said, adding that Channi has proved himself in the role in just three months.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: PTI/ TWITTER