In a masterstroke, the Congress party on September 19 announced a new Chief Minister of the state of Punjab because of serious internal confrontations in the party. A three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib area, Channi was inducted as the new Congress leader. This happened a day after miffed former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh resigned. Channi is the first scheduled caste chief minister declared by Congress high command. Channi was Technical Educational and Industrial Training Minister in the Amarinder Singh government. Earlier he has also served as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2015 to 2016. He belongs to the Ramdasia Sikh community. Channi`s father had to struggle a lot to bring his family to the level of economic security for which he had to migrate to Malaysia. He returned and settled in Kharar town starting a business of a Tent House where Channi also worked as a tent boy. Channi went on to complete his matriculation from Khalsa Higher Secondary School in Kharar, where he received free education, thanks to his gifted talent in the sports. Channi took oath at the Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on September 20. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Om Prakash Soni took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers along with Channi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was also present at the ceremony. Channi`s appointment came after hectic lobbying by the Congress leaders after with an unusual Sikh versus Hindu CM narrative thrown into the mix. Several leaders said the appointment of a Dalit in a state with nearly 32 per cent Dalit population was a good political one.