Navjot Singh Sidhu resigns as Punjab Congress chief
Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday resigned as Punjab Congress Chief. The cricketer-turned-politician announced his resignation via Twitter. In his letter to Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu said, "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. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress." LIVE UPDATES
According to sources, the Punjab party chief was unhappy with the allocation of Cabinet berths to a few ministers who are said to close to former CM Amarinder Singh, especially Aruna Chaudhary and corruption-accused Rana Gurjeet Singh.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi carried out his first cabinet expansion on Sunday, inducting 15 Cabinet Ministers which included seven new entrants. The new faces in the Channi Ministry are Randeep Singh Nabha, Raj Kumar Verka, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Pargat Singh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Gurkirat Singh Kotli.
Brahm Mohindra, Manpreet Singh Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Razia Sultana, Vijay Inder Singla and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who were ministers in the previous Amarinder Singh led cabinet, were retained as Cabinet Ministers.
The Congress had appointed Sidhu as Punjab state unit chief in July following a bitter duel with Captain Amarinder Singh which eventually saw the later stepping down from his post.
Amarinder Singh didn't mince any words slamming Sidhu after resigning as Punjab CM earlier this month.. The veteran Congress leader said that he will oppose Sidhu 'tooth and nail' while pointing fingers at the cricketer-turned-politician's Pakistan connection.
"He is an incompetent man. He is a total disaster. He could not even handle one department and he will run the government?" Amarinder had said.
Meanwhile, the former Punjab CM is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi later on Wednesday. Sources said he will be meeting BJP President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his 2-day stay in the national capital.
Moments after, Sidhu resigned from his post, Amarinder Singh on Twitter said. "I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of punjab.
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