Lagatar24 Desk
Chandigarh, Sept.24: Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned as Punjab Congress chief, barely days after Amarinder Singh was ousted as Chief Minister in a series of events that he approved. He took Twitter to announce this decision.
Sidhu in his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, which he shared on Twitter, wrote, “The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress”.
The resignation, which came just months before the Punjab election, has stunned the Congress leadership and is being viewed as a major setback, considering that the Gandhis had been advised against naming Sidhu as Punjab Congress chairman. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was the one who, despite all difficulties, fought for Sidhu.
The unexpected move comes as the new Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who is said to be close to Navjot Sidhu, has started making cabinet changes.
The resignation is a big blow to the Congress, leaving it scrambling for a face in Punjab ahead of the elections. On a day when it was expected to welcome significant figures such as Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mewani, the party was caught off guard.
Earlier this month, Amarinder Singh resigned as Chief Minister, complaining of repeated “humiliation” by the party. Sidhu, who set the stage for his exit, has now himself quit his post, though he says he will “continue to serve the Congress”.
