New Delhi, September 19: The BJP on Sunday took a swipe at the Congress over its Punjab chief ministerial pick Charanjit Singh Channi, citing reported allegations that he had sent an inappropriate text to an IAS officer in 2018.

BJP leader Amit Malviya, who is its IT department head, tweeted, "Congress's CM pick Charanjit Channi faces action in a 3-year-old MeToo case. He had allegedly sent an inappropriate text to a woman IAS officer in 2018. It was covered up but the case resurfaced when Punjab Women's Commission sent notice. Well done, Rahul."

The issue had resurfaced in May this year when Punjab women panel chief threatened to go on a hunger strike if the state government failed to apprise her within a week of its stand on the “inappropriate text” message allegedly sent by Channi, who was then a minister in the Amarinder Singh government. Punjab Women Commission chairperson Manisha Gulati had said she had written to the chief secretary seeking the government's action taken report. #MeToo Shadow Over Punjab CM-Designate Charanjit Singh Channi, Accused of Sending Indecent Messages to Woman IAS Officer.

Malviya also posted a story reported in May this year that said that outgoing chief minister Amarinder Singh's rivals within the party had accused him of "hounding" them with old cases. Following the 2018 allegation, the Punjab Women Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and had sought the government's stand even then.

At that time, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had asked Channi to tender an apology to the woman officer and had said he believed the matter has been “resolved” to her satisfaction.

Channi was elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Punjab on Sunday and will be the next chief minister, succeeding Amarinder Singh who resigned a day ago following a bitter power tussle in the state unit.

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