Chandigarh: Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday said party high command allowed him to skip the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting as he was to appear in an examination at Panjab University here.
The meeting of the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, was held in Delhi on Wednesday.
Besides Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and several top leaders and special invitees besides all four chief minister of Congress-ruled states attended the marathon meeting held in the aftermath of the students' agitation on paper leaks and the Ram temple donations row.
Channi, who is the sitting MP from Jalandhar, holds a PhD in political science from Panjab University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in public administration. He has also expressed interest in further research in the area of public policy reforms.
Replying to a question on skipping the CWC meeting, Channi said, "I had sought written permission from the party high command that I won't be able to attend the meeting on Wednesday."
"Had I missed my paper, my degree would have got delayed by a year. And due to this, the research work, which I want to pursue, would have also got delayed," he told reporters on the Panjab University campus here.
Speaking about the master's course, Channi said, "Today was my last exam of Masters in Public Administration. I want to undertake research in policy reforms and will pursue a PhD programme in this regard from Panjab University here".
"My subject will be how reforms can be brought in policy and put Punjab on the development track," he said, adding that he has been studying for the past four and a half years.
Expressing confidence that Congress will form the next government, he said they will bring such reforms that a government employee will not be able to indulge in corruption.
He also spoke about free education and free health for people if Congress forms the next government in the state.
"When Congress forms the government, we will implement this model," Channi added.
