How acceptable will Charanjit Singh Channi be as the chief minister of Punjab? This question may not be of much consequence as far as the state’s politics goes but it is very important for the Dalits of the state. That is because if Channi is named the chief minister, he would be the first Dalit to be elected to the top post for a full term in the state. Channi’s 111-day tenure (up to the formal announcement of Vidhan Sabha elections) as the chief minister may not have been spectacular but his performance was not poor either. Amid the hurdles routinely created by the state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, the way Channi ran the government not only displayed his competence as an administrator but also his capacity to deal with his rivals.
About The Author
Dwarka Bharti
Dwarka Bharti was born into a Dalit family on 24 March 1949. He studied up to matriculation and worked for the government for a while before going to Iraq and Jordan as a labourer. On his return, he embraced the familial occupation of shoemaking. He has translated several works in Punjabi into Hindi and written on, among other topics, cultural issues and rights of Dalits. His writings have been published in various Punjabi and Hindi magazines. His autobiography ‘Mochi: Ek Mochi ka Adabi Zindaginama’ has been well received
