 "Who is Charanjit Singh Channi?")
Charanjit Singh Channi, who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab, is the first Dalit to hold the CM's post in the state.
The three-time legislator from Chamkaur Sahib assembly constituency in Rupnagar district joined the Congress party in 2012 and has held the portfolios of Industrial Training, Technical Education, Employment Generation and Tourism and Cultural Affairs in the Amarinder Singh-led cabinet.
Channi has also been the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly during the Parkash Singh Badal-led Akali-BJP government.
Channi succeeded Captain Amarinder Singh, who resigned as the chief minister of Punjab in 2021 following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
The development came months before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.
Early life and education
Charanjit Channi, who belongs to the Ramdasia Sikh community, was born on March 1, 1963 to S Harsa Singh and Ajmer Kaur in Makrona Kalan village near Chamkaur Sahib town of Punjab.
He is a law graduate from Panjab University and did his MBA and LLB from Punjab Technical University (PTU). He also completed matriculation from Khalsa Higher Secondary School in Kharar.
Charanjit Singh Channi's political career
Charanjit Singh Channi began his political career as a municipal councillor in the early 2000s when he started as a grassroots-level leader and won local bodies elections on a Congress ticket from Nagar district.
He was elected as the president of the Kharar municipal council in 2002.
He first contested as an Independent in 2007 and won from Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency. He joined Congress in 2012 and was again elected as a legislator from the same seat. In 2015, Channi was elected as Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
In 2017, he was appointed as the Cabinet Minister for Technical Education and Industrial Training, Employment Generation and also Science and Technology in the government of Punjab.
He contested the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur legislative assembly constituencies, but lost both the seats to his opponents from the Aam Aadmi Party.
He contested the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur legislative assembly constituencies, but lost both the seats to his opponents from the Aam Aadmi Party.
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