Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday stepped down from the post of CM amid political tussle within the ruling Congress party in the state slated to go for polls in just about four months.
The Congress veteran tendered his resignation along with that of his council of ministers, his media advisor said.
“CM Captain Amarinder Singh has met Punjab Governor and submitted his and his council of ministers’ resignation,” Raveen Thukral, media advisor to Singh, announced on Twitter.
Addressing the media after his resgination, Singh said: “I decided this morning to resign as Punjab CM, have informed Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) about my decision.”
“The thing is that this is the third time the party called the MLAs. You have an element of doubt on me…. I feel humiliated so I have resigned,” he told reporters.
He further said that the Congress can make anyone the leadership trusts the chief minister.
Asked about his future course of action, he said, “As far as my future politics is concerned, there is always an option and I will use that option when time comes. I am in the Congress party. I will talk to my supporters and decide future course of politics,” he said.
The development comes hours beofre the crucial Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Chandigarh called by Congress late last night citing “a representation from a large number of MLAs”.
Punjab ministers Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Charanjit S Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh, Congress observer for Punjab Ajay Maken among others will attend the meeting.
Reports suggest that Sunil Jakhar, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Raj Kumar Verka, Inderjit are among the front runners who may replaceSingh provided he steps down from the CM post.
After the change of guard in Punjab with the appointment of new state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, a Cabinet reshuffle was scheduled on the cards. However, the reshuffling seems to have erupted the infighting in the state.
A delegation of MLAs and Ministers who are supposed to be from Navjot Singh Sidhu camp met Harish Rawat in Dehradun two weeks ago and asked to intervene in the matter. As a result, the party is not able to give a green signal to Cabinet reshuffle.
