Puts up his resignation letter on Twitter; I told you so, says Amarinder
AMN / WEB DESK
In a dramatic development, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sigh Sidhu announced his resignation from his post today. He put up his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Twitter. “Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress,” he said.
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,” his tweet said.
Capt Amarinder expected to arrive in Delhi today, all eyes on who he meets
Capt Amarinder Singh has had a long-running power tussle with Sidhu, who’s generally been seen as vying for the position the former once held. After he’d resigned, Amarinder had vowed to ensure Sidhu wouldn’t become chief minister, calling him a friend of Pakistan and a security threat to the entire country.
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.