Channi’s ballot allegations signal Congress defeat in rural polls: CM Mann
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, December 13, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s recent remarks alleging interference with ballot papers reflect the Congress party’s acceptance of defeat in the ongoing rural local body elections.
Addressing a press conference, Mann described Channi’s statement—made after serving just 111 days as Chief Minister—as “reckless and irresponsible.” “If you examine his statement deeply, it clearly shows that Congress has already conceded defeat. Such allegations surface only when a party senses it is losing,” Mann said.
The Chief Minister rejected claims of rigging and misuse of official machinery, stating that the large-scale participation of opposition candidates itself disproves the allegations.
“If the government were manipulating elections, why would 2,433 Congress and 1,814 Akali candidates be contesting Panchayat Samiti polls? In fact, three Congress and eight Independent candidates have already been elected unopposed,” he pointed out.
Mann said opposition leaders, instead of accepting the people’s verdict, were resorting to what he termed “bellyaching” and spreading false narratives. “Those who ruled Punjab earlier and even saw crores of rupees recovered from their premises are now questioning the honesty of this government. We are ready to face every challenge to prove our integrity,” he asserted.
Taking the attack further, the Chief Minister also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, accusing them of demanding top political positions without demonstrating performance. “Rahul Gandhi wants to be made Prime Minister first and promises to act later. People are saying—show results first, then we will consider it. The same applies to Sidhu in Punjab,” Mann said.
Referring to a viral video in which a young voter questions an Akali Dal candidate over the condition of his village, Mann said it reflected the genuine anger and pain of the youth. “This ground reality is something opposition leaders have failed to understand,” he added.
Emphasising transparency, Mann said elections across 347 Zila Parishad zones, with 1,396 candidates in the fray, were being conducted in a free and fair manner. He accused former ruling parties of trying to divert attention from their past misgovernance by levelling baseless allegations of electoral malpractice.