Sidhu quits as Punjab Congress chief, plunges party into crisis; Amarinder takes a swipe, says 'not a stable man'

NEW DELHI: Navjot Singh Sidhu has plunged the

Punjab Congress

into yet another crisis even before the new government in the state under first dalit chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi could settle down.


The impulsive politician, who fought a long leadership tussle with veteran party leader Amarinder Singh and was instrumental in his ouster as CM, on Tuesday surprised everyone as he stepped down as

Punjab Congress chief

.

Amarinder, who was unceremoniously removed as the chief minister and had openly spoken about his humiliation, took a dig at Sidhu "I told you so ... he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab."


Sidhu writes to Sonia

In an unexpected move that seems to have caught the party offguard, Sidhu wrote to interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi to announce his resignation.

"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," he said in his letter to Sonia Gandhi.

"Therefore, I hereby resign as the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress," he wrote.


The letter offered little clues as to what prompted Sidhu to take the extreme step.

However, there were indications to suggest that Sidhu was unhappy with the induction of some ministers and also the portfolios allotted to them by chief minister Channi.

Reacting to these reports, CM Channi said "It will be settled if he is upset ... though he is not upset with me."

Punjab minister Razia Sultana quits in 'solidarity' with Sidhu

Hours after Sidhu's resignation, Punjab minister Razia Sultana put in her papers in "solidarity" with the former state Congress chief.

Sultana is considered close to Sidhu and her husband Mohd Mustafa, a former IPS officer, is a principal strategic adviser to the Congress leader.


In her resignation letter to Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the minister said, "I, Razia Sultana, hereby resign as cabinet minister, Punjab, in solidarity with Navjot Singh Sidhu, PPCC president, and millions of Congress workers across the state."

"I will continue to work for the party as a worker in the best interest of Punjab. My heartfelt thanks to Sonia Gandhiji, hon'ble Congress president, and Rahul Gandhiji for their countless blessings on me and my family in our hours of need," she said in her resignation letter.

Two other Congress leaders also quit their party posts in support of Sidhu.

Opposition parties attack Congress
With assembly elections in the state few months away, the opposition was quick to mount attack on the Congress over the latest crisis.

Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is the main opposition party in the state, was quick to pit Sidhu against the dalit chief minister.

"This shows that Navjot Singh Sidhu is against dalits. One poor son was made chief minister. This, Sidhu could not bear. It is very sad," AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told reporters.

AAP Punjab co-in-charge Raghav Chadha termed it "a complete and absolute state of anarchy in Punjab Congress".

"How can the people of Punjab expect these selfish leaders to give a stable, progressive and inclusive administration? How can these people be trusted with a state which has a 550-km border with Pakistan?" Chadha tweeted.

'Emotional reaction'

The Congress leadership has called Sidhu's letter an "emotional reaction" and is confident that everything will be ok.

However, some leaders in the Punjab Congress are already targeting him.

Sunil Jakhar slammed Sidhu for his "grand standing"

"It’s just not cricket ! What stands compromised in this entire ‘episode’ is the faith reposed in the (outgoing ?) PCC President by the Congress Leadership. No amount of grand standing can justify this breach of trust placing his benefactors in a peculiar predicament," Jakhar tweeted.



(With inputs from agencies)