Minutes before the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh submitted his and his council of ministers resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
“CM @capt_amarinder has met Punjab governor and submitted his and his council of ministers’ resignation,” the CM’s media adviser Raveen Thukral tweeted on Saturday evening. Singh was accompanied by his wife, Patiala MP Preneet Kaur and son Raninder Singh. Lok Sabha MPs Gurjit Singh Aujla and Ravneet Singh Bittu were also present. The resignation was also announced by the senior Congress leader’s son Raninder Singh on Twitter.
The Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit accepted his resignation and that of his council of Ministers. The Governor asked him and his Council of Ministers to continue in office, for transaction of routine business, till alternative arrangements are made.
“I have given my resignation. The future politics option is always there and I will use that option. I am in Congress, will discuss with my colleagues and then decide the future course of action. I had decided in the morning. I had spoken to the Congress President in the morning. I had told her I am resigning,” Amarinder Singh
Earlier in the day, the party’s high command is said t o have conveyed to the Chief Minister to resign to enable the election of a new incumbent. However, the Chief Minister ‘threatened’ to quit the party for being humiliated. Meanwhile, the meeting of the Congress legislators in the faction-ridden state unit began in Chandigarh as scheduled at 5pm. According to some senior party leaders, the high command has categorically asked Amarinder Singh to step down.
Meanwhile, responding to the political developments, former state President Sunil Jakhar tweeted: “Kudos to Sh Rahul Gandhi for adopting Alexandrian solution to this Punjabi version of Gordian knot.” “Surprisingly, this bold leadership decision to resolve Punjab Congress imbroglio has not only enthralled Congress workers but has sent shudders down the spines of Akalis.” The decision to call the CLP comes in the wake of the fresh letter signed by a majority of legislators who expressed dissatisfaction with Amarinder Singh and demanding his removal from the Chief Minister’s post.
Earlier, AICC’s deputed party general secretary Ajay Maken and Harish Chowdhry reached Chandigarh as central observers for the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting slated in the evening. State party in charge Harish Rawat is also reaching here.
Sonia to pic new CLP leader
Punjab Congress MLAs on Saturday authorised party president Sonia Gandhi to pick new CLP leader, on a day Amarinder Singh resigned as the state chief minister. A resolution to this effect was passed unanimously in a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party here. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken, who was one of the two central observers deputed by the party, told reporters that 78 of 80 party MLAs were present in the meeting. He said another resolution praising and thanking Amarinder Singh for his contribution towards Punjab and the Congress was also unanimously passed at the meeting. “We expect that the party will continue to get guidance of Amarinder Singh,” said Maken.
