New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS): The Congress' move to install Charanjit Singh Channi as the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab is a masterstroke and Channi is emerging as the Dalit face of Punjab, as per the ABP-CVoter-IANS State of States 2021 tracker.

As per the tracker, 59.4 per cent said the Congress high command was right in its decision to change the Chief Minister in Punjab right before the elections while 40.6 per cent said it was not.

Also, 53.6 per cent said the Congress will benefit in Punjab by removing Amarinder Singh from the CM post while 46.4 per cent said no.

Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder, C Voter said: "In the 1990s, Mayawati became the power symbol of Dalits. Channi is the Mayawati moment of Punjab."

Deshmukh said Channi is a superhit among Dalits but the Jat Sikhs are now moving away from the Congress and are divided between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Akali Dal.

He added that AAP is slightly ahead in Punjab but without projecting a CM face it will find it difficult to turn the lead into a winning position. Deshmukh said the biggest loser in the Punjab events is Navjot Singh Sidhu.

As per the tracker, only 39.3 per cent said Congress will win in Punjab by contesting elections under Sidhu's leadership while 60.7 per cent said no.

The AAP will benefit most from the infighting in the Congress party in Punjab with 42.1 per cent saying so.

It is clear that Amarinder and Sidhu fight is damaging the Congress even as Channi is here to stay as the Congress face in Punjab.