Rajasthan CM's OSD Lokesh Sharma Resigns Hours After Cryptic Tweet On Power Tussle In Punjab

In a Hindi tweet, CM Ashok Gehlot's OSD, Lokesh Sharma wrote "The strong is being forced, the insignificant is being strengthened, when the fence is eating the crops, who can save such a field!"

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot/ File Photo

New Delhi: Lokesh Sharma, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, has reportedly resigned from the post on Saturday. The development has come hours after a heated controversy erupted over his tweet on the handling of the power-sharing tussle in Punjab.

In a Hindi tweet, the officer wrote "The strong is being forced, the insignificant is being strengthened, when the fence is eating the crops, who can save such a field!" 

His tweet has been interpreted as a criticism of the Congress central leadership, which forced a change in the leadership in Punjab.

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

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.

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.