Chandigarh: Former Punjab chief minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday defended his decision to skip the Congress Working Committee meeting, saying he had taken permission from the party high command to appear in his MA public administration examination.Speaking to mediapersons after writing his final paper, Channi said he would have lost an academic year if he missed Thursday’s paper. “CWC meetings take place regularly. I had written to the high command and sought permission to appear in my examination.Channi’s absence had raised eyebrows as his supporters have launched a public campaign against Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, urging the central leadership to remove him. Asked about Channi’s skipping the CWC meet, Baghel told mediapersons on Wednesday, “What is wrong with that?”On Thursday, Channi said a large number of party leaders had attended the meeting and another CWC meeting will be held in due course. “If I had missed the paper, though, my degree would have been delayed by a year, and the research work I am planning would also have been delayed,” he said.The former CM said he had scored 74% in the previous semester and was looking forward to completing the course. “I am proud of this because I am a student of Panjab University, Chandigarh,” he said, adding that he has degrees in political science, management and law, besides a PhD.He said his next academic focus is research on policy reforms, particularly ways to put Punjab back on the path of development.No change in Punjab Cong leadership: BaghelChandigarh: AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, on Thursday ruled out any changes in the party’s state organisational structure.“There will be no changes now. Only expansion will take place,” Baghel said. Committees will be enlarged and new panels formed as part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 polls. Baghel’s statement comes against the backdrop of an increasingly bitter power struggle within the Punjab Congress.Baghel said a proposal has been submitted to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for a programme in Punjab, and his approval is awaited. As part of the tentative plan, Rahul may begin a bus journey from Amritsar after praying at the Golden Temple. He is expected to travel with senior Punjab Congress functionaries in an effort to bring them on a common platform.According to party sources, the first phase of the journey could cover the 135km Amritsar-Hussainiwala stretch, passing through 25 to 30 assembly constituencies.
