A months-long turmoil and speculations came to an end with the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his council of Ministers. With Harish Rawat’s announcement of meeting on Friday night, it was speculated that the party could replace Amarinder as CM. Now, in the aftermath of the humiliation faced from the Congress party, Amarinder, along with his council of Ministers’ have submitted their resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
‘I Feel Humiliated’: Capt Amarinder Singh after handing his resignation
Amarinder Singh, while resigning from his post, said that he made this decision because he felt humiliated by the way talks transpired, “I conveyed my message to sonia gandhi that I am going to resign. This is happening (CLP meeting) for the third time. I feel humiliated. They can make the person they trust the CM.” He further also added, “I’ve been in politics for 52 years. I will decide my future course after meeting with my guys. They (Cong) can choose whoever they trust. Of course am humiliated”.
However, according to News 18 report, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier conveyed to his close ‘friends’ Kamal Nath and Manish Tewari that he will prefer walking out of the grand old party if asked to resign as CM.
With the sources revealing that the majority wants a Hindu leader, it is being speculated that either Navjot Singh Sidhu or Sunil Jakhar could become the new leader of the legislature party.
Harish Rawat announced the meeting
Harish Rawat, on late Friday night, had announced the meeting. He took to Twitter to make the announcement, “The AICC has received a representation from a large number of MLAs from the party, requesting to immediately convene a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party of Punjab. Accordingly, a meeting of the CLP has been convened at 5:00 pm on September 18 at Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee office.”
The AICC has received a representation from a large number of MLAs from the congress party, requesting to immediately convene a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party of Punjab. Accordingly, a meeting of the CLP has been convened at 5:00 PM on 18th September at …..1/2 pic.twitter.com/BT5mKEnDs5
— Harish Rawat (@harishrawatcmuk) September 17, 2021
He further added that the AICC has directed PPCC to facilitate the meeting. “All congress MLAs of Punjab are requested to kindly attend this meeting,” added Rawat. After a few minutes, Harish announced the meeting, the Punjab Congress chief also took to Twitter to inform about the meeting. “As per the AICC directive, Congress Legislative Party meeting has been convened at PPCC Office.”
Legislators’ revolt against Punjab CM
Interestingly, the announcement came just a day after at least 40 legislators wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi requesting a CLP meeting regarding strategy for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. As per the sources, Ministers close to Sidhu are looking forward to discussing the party high command’s 18-point agenda given to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Earlier, several legislators along with four ministers had shown resentment against Punjab CM and said that they had no faith in Amarinder Singh’s ability to rule the state and fulfil the promises.
Read more: Sidhu, Gandhi Family’s spy in Amarinder’s Congress will hand Punjab over to the BJP
Sidhu’s advisor protests against Amarinder
Protesting against Amarinder Singh, Mohammad Mustafa, principal strategic advisor of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, stated that it will be a moment for the party’s MLAs to “liberate Congress and redeem the party.”
Ahead of the crucial Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting convened on September 18, Mustafa took to Twitter to revolt against Amarinder and tweeted, “2017, Punjab gave the Congress 80 MLAs. Sadly, Congressmen have not got a Congress C.M. as yet. Time to have one after an agonising wait of four-and-a-half years, with an opportunity to choose one and re-elect the Congress again to have party C.M. with pain of Punjab and Punjabis at heart for 5 years.”
2017,PUNJAB GVE CONG 80 MLAs. SADLY, PARADOXICALLY CONGMEN DIDN'T GET A CONG CM AS YET. TIME TO HVE ONE AFTER A LONG AGONIZING WAIT OF 4 AND HALF YRS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE ONE AND RELCT CONG AGAIN TO HVE PARTY CM WITH PAIN OF PUNJAB AND PUNJABIES AT HEART FOR 5 YRS 1/N
— MOHD MUSTAFA, FORMER IPS (@MohdMustafaips) September 18, 2021
Sidhu and Amarinder locked horns
Ever since Sidhu was elevated to the post of State President by the party, there have been several reports of chaos and infighting within the party. Eyeing the Chief Minister’s post, Sidhu kept on targeting his government in Punjab. However, to ensure that the promotion was not granted to Sidhu, Captain had even written a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi and iterated that “forcibly interfering” with the working of the Punjab government could have serious implications.
Read more: Sidhu now wants to oust Amarinder and become Punjab CM
Thus, with Amarinder’s resignation, Sidhu might be daydreaming to become the next Chief Minister of the state. However, looking at the bigger picture, BJP will be benefitted in the upcoming Punjab elections as Amarinder’s exit from the party will eventually mark the end of the aged old Congress Party in the state.
