Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned as the Punjab Congress president Tuesday afternoon, days after the Congress replaced erstwhile CM Captain Amarinder Singh with Charanjit Singh Channi as chief minister, amid much turmoil.
Sidhu’s resignation, however, comes as a shock after things settled down once the heat of the Punjab elections subsided and he made peace.
He tweeted his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. It read “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.” He added that he will continue to serve the Congress as a member.
Reacting to the development, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi espoused his ‘complete faith’ in Sidhu, and hinted he would discuss the matter with him.
Channi was addressing a press conference after the distribution of portfolios to various ministers in Chandigarh Tuesday afternoon.
One of Sidhu’s chief objections was the induction of former irrigation minister Rana Gurjit Singh into the cabinet. Rana Gurjit was removed from the Amarinder Singh cabinet in 2018 following allegations of corruption. It was alleged that he was involved in a scam relating to the allotment of sand mining contracts to his former employees, including a cook.
Since Channi’s oath-taking ceremony last Monday, Sidhu was in close contact with the new Punjab CM, sitting on official meetings in Delhi, as Channi selected his cabinet.
Although there has not been any additional communication after the resignation, close aides say the former cricketer turned politician is “upset” because of many reasons, chief among which is the inclusion of members charged with corruption being included in the top decision-making brass in the party as well as the administration.
In further developments, Capt. Amarinder Singh is slated to meet Amit Shah and JP Nadda in Delhi, as sources speculate whether he may join the BJP.
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