Sidhu resigns as Punjab Congress chief
Announcement on Twitter comes within an hour of Channi’s cabinet expansion
Unhappy over the first expansion of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s cabinet, state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu yesterday resigned from his post. He, however, said he would continue in the party.
He announced his resignation on his Twitter handle in just an hour after Channi announced allocation of portfolios to his Cabinet colleagues.
In a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu 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 the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress,” he added.
It is learnt that Sidhu was upset over the non-inclusion of the MLAs of his choice in the expanded cabinet and the appointment of new Advocate General, A.P.S. Deol.
Responding to the development, former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted, “I told you so... he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab.” Since his resignation as the chief minister, Amarinder has been targeting Sidhu, saying publicly that he would fight his elevation to the chief ministership tooth and nail.