Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu announced his resignation from his position on Tuesday.
He put up his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Twitter.
Reacting to Sidhu’s resignation as PPCC chief, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, “All will be ok in Punjab Congress. Sidhu’s reaction is emotional.’
“The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner. | can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab,” Sidhu’s letter to Sonia Gandhi said.
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) September 28, 2021
“Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress,” he said.
Soon after this, Gulzar Inder Singh Chahal, who was made Treasurer of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee soon after Sidhu took over, also put in his papers, as did general secretary Yoginder Dhingra.
The second significant resignation however came from Punjab Minister Razia Sultana. Sultana, whose husband is Sidhu’s chief strategic adviser, said she was resigning from the cabinet only hours after she was given water supply and sanitation, social security, women and child development, printing, and stationery departments.
Sidhu’s resignation comes amid the furore over Deol’s appointment. Deol, who has, among his various high-profile cases, represented Punjab’s tainted ex-DGP, Sumedh Singh Saini, was appointed through an official notification on Monday. Chief Minister Charanjit Channi has tried to downplay the controversy saying the case was just another one taken up in the course of Deol’s professional duties.
He’s believed to be upset over the recent developments in the state—from the non-inclusion of some Members of Legislative Assembly in the recently-expanded cabinet of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the appointment of Punjab’s new Advocate General, Amar Preet Singh Deol.
‘I told you so’
Former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Sidhu’s arch-rival, was among the first to react, with a cheeky: “I told you so”.
I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of punjab.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 28, 2021
Terming Sidhu’s resignation as a drama, he said that Sidhu does not deserve a sensitive state like Punjab. Responding to a question about his readiness to contest from any other party, he said that he is currently watching the situation in Punjab. He will soon take a big decision about himself.
CM Channi ‘Unaware’
Chief Minister Channi told the press that he was unaware of the development.
Channi, whose press conference was held a short while after Sidhu’s announcement, said he would have to speak to Sidhu, whom he still “considered” Punjab Congress chief, before he commented on the development.
He said the party would talk to Sidhu.
“He is the party president. If he’s upset, it will be settled,” Channi said.