Congress chief Sonia Gandhi accepted former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh’s resignation from the party.
Singh on Tuesday resigned from the Congress party and also announced his new political party – Punjab Lok Congress – just months before the Assembly polls in Punjab.
In his seven-page resignation letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Singh hit out at Gandhis for a “conspiracy” to oust him from the state government.
He told Gandhi that despite knowing him “for the better part of his 52 years in public life” and “that too at a deeply personal level”, she never “understood” him or his “character”.
“You thought I was getting on in years and should be put to pasture. I am neither tired nor retired. I feel I have a lot to give and contribute to my beloved Punjab. I intend to soldier on and not fade away,” wrote Singh.
The former CM said he hoped that no other senior Congressperson is subjected to the “ignominy” that he was put through in the last few months. “I hereby tender my resignation from the Indian National Congress in the interest of my state and my country,” he wrote.
Singh had stepped down as chief minister of Punjab on September 18 after accusing the Congress party of humiliating him.
Last month, the veteran leader had said he had no intention of continuing in the Congress, which he said was going downhill with senior leaders being completely sidelined.
He also launched a sharp attack at Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and former party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat.
“Sidhu’s only claim to fame was that he would abuse me and my government on a regular basis. I am old enough to be his father but that did not stop him from using the filthiest and most vile language against me both publicly and privately. Unfortunately, rather than being reined in, he was patronised by Rahul and Priyanka, while you chose to turn a blind eye to shenanigans of this gentleman who was aided and abetted by Harish Rawat, perhaps most dubious individual I had the occasion to make acquaintance off,” he said in the letter.
