Sunil Jakhar was seen as a contender for Chief Minister but Charanjit Channi was selected (File)
In election season, lots of political maneuvers are the equivalent of sliding into the DM of an opponent or an unlikely ally. This wasn't one of them.
Instead, Congress leader Sunil Jakhar was unequivocal in his criticism of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the security lapse that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's car stuck on a flyover in Punjab for nearly 20 minutes.
"What has happened today is just not acceptable... a secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured. That's how democracy works," said Sunil Jakhar, who is the chairman of the campaign committee of Punjab Congress and the former president of state Congress.
At 3 pm today, the news broke that the PM had abandoned plans to attend a rally in Ferozpur. At the event, union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on stage that Mr Modi would not make it "due to some reasons."
Minutes later, the Home Ministry released a note that outlined the PM's journey and why it was truncated. The Punjab government, it said, was obliged to "make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready." None of this was executed, the ministry said, when the PM's convoy was blocked by protestors on a major flyover.
The Home Ministry said that Mr Modi was meant to fly from Bathinda to Hussainiwala, 17 km from the location of the rally, but poor weather meant he decided to make the two-hour drive instead. The Punjab police confirmed security arrangements had been made for this, the ministry shared. However, when the protestors served as a roadblock, there was no "additional security to secure any movement by road," as needed, the note said.
Congress leaders alleged that the 'security breach' was a false allegation and that the PM's appearance at Ferozepur in Western Punjab was cancelled because the attendance at the event was modest.
Campaigning is in full momentum in Punjab with all major parties holding huge rallies and meetings despite the worrying markers of the third wave of covid, driven by the omicron variant. Election dates have yet to be announced.
Mr Channi, a popular Dalit leader, was named Cheif Minister of Punjab just three months ago by the Congress after the party forced the exit of Captain Amarinder Singh from the state's top job. Captain Singh has since formed his own party and allied with the BJP.
Mr Jakhar was seen as a contender for Chief Minister but Mr Channi was selected by the party instead.