Punjab election result live: CM Charanjit Singh Channi loses from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur

In a major loss of face for Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, he lost the elections from both the constituencies he was contesting from - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. His party Congress too received a major drubbing in the Punjab Assembly elections whose results were announced on Thursday. 

Charanjit Singh Channi took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 20 September, 2021 following the exit of Captain Amarinder Singh. He is the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab. According to political pundits, large Dalit population in Punjab may have influenced Congress's decision to appoint Charanjit Singh Channi as the state’s Chief Minister. Channi superseded several Congress heavyweights like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sunil Jakhar and Ambika Soni to bag the top post.

Charanjit Singh Channi’s Family background and education

Born in the village of Makrauna Kalan in Punjab's Rupnagar, Charanjit Singh Channi belongs to the Dalit community. Channi comes from a joint family of four brothers staying at Kharar. After completing his schooling at Kharar, Channi got enrolled into Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Chandigarh, where he was elected as the general secretary of the student union. Channi’s wife Kamaljit Kaur is a government doctor. The couple has two children.

He studied law at Panjab University and has an MBA from PTU Jalandhar. 

Channi’s political journey

Channi previously served as the Minister of Technical Education and Training under Amarinder Singh and the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly. He was the leader of opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2016. In 2017, he was appointed as a minister in the Amarinder Singh Cabinet.

He was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from the Chamkaur Sahib constituency for the first time in 2007. He was elected to the Assembly seat again in 2012 and then in 2017.