'Humiliated' Amarinder Singh Resigns As Punjab CM, Tells Congress Give Post To Anyone You Trust

Singh's resignation reportedly came hours after Congress high command categorically asked him to step down as Chief Minister to enable the election of a new incumbent.

Chandigarh: Months ahead of the much crucial Punjab Assembly Elections scheduled to be held in early 2022, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the top post on Saturday. Singh submitted his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh.

The announcement could prove to be a massive setback for the Congress party in the poll-bound state.

 

Soon after submitting his resignation, Singh spoke to media outside Raj Bhavan where he said that he had spoken to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi earlier in the day and told her about his decision to resign as Punjab CM. 

"This has happened for the third time in two months. They called MLAs to Delhi twice and now this CLP meet. I feel humiliated and thus I have decided to leave the CM post. They (party high-command) can appoint anyone they have confidence in," Singh said while speaking to reporters.

When asked about what lies next for Singh, he said he will meet other leaders and will then decided the future course of action.

Singh's resignation reportedly came hours after the Congress high command categorically asked him to step down as chief minister to enable the election of a new incumbent.

The political development started taking an unprecedented share from Friday afternoon when Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat tweeted about the decision to hold an urgent Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday.

The CPL meeting will take place at around 5:30 pm today and state party chief Navjot Sidhu directed all the MLAs to be present in the meeting. 

Singh's resignation can be seen as an indication from the high command to appoint the new incumbent under whose helm the party will go to the Assembly polls, slated in March 2022.

Former Punjab President Sunil Jakhar is said to be the frontrunner for the post of Chief Minister, sources told news agency IANS as the party wants to project non Sikh face ahead of polls to counter Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which is gaining ground in the state.

Meanwhile, AICC's deputed party general secretary Ajay Maken and Harish Chowdhry reached Chandigarh as central observers for the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting slated to be held in the evening. State party in charge Harish Rawat is also here.