MLA nudges fellow Punjab Congress lawmakers: ‘Let us all resign’

party MLA from Amargarh, Surjit Singh Dhiman, said that he was inviting all his party MLAs to put in their papers because “there was no point in sticking to the chairs when they were not able to live up to the expectations of the people of the state”.

After two days of lull in the Punjab Congress, party MLA from Amargarh, Surjit Singh Dhiman, Saturday created a stir as he gave a call to fellow lawmakers to listen to their conscience and resign en masse. However, Dhiman, who said that he had the backing of one more MLA, added that he wanted someone like Sidhu to lead the way.

Dhiman said that he was inviting all his party MLAs to put in their papers because “there was no point in sticking to the chairs when they were not able to live up to the expectations of the people of the state”.

The Amargarh MLA, in second year of the Amarinder Singh government, was the first one to raise Congress government’s alleged failure to crackdown against the drug mafia after coming to power. On Saturday, he told The Indian Express: “Aisi kursi da ki swad laina je Punjab de lokan da kujh nahi kar sakde (What is the point in sticking to the chair if we cannot do anything for the people of the state). I am calling out to them to listen to the voice of their conscience. Let us all resign.”

He added: “My fellow colleague Nathu Ram and I are on the same page. We will resign. We just want someone to take the lead. It could be anyone. It could be Navjot Singh Sidhu. But let us do something. Agge tan laggo koi (Someone please take the lead).”

He said he was just waiting for someone to emerge as the leader. “I wanted to resign the day the High Court had quashed the report of Special Investigation Team (SIT) if I had a few MLAs with me.”

The party MLA, who was earlier placated by the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh when he had spoken at a political function and stated that drugs was still an issue in the state, said that “resentment against the government had spread like a wildfire. It would not stop now. As of today, we cannot form the next government. I am telling you what people of Punjab tell me. Navjot Singh Sidhu was a ray of hope. If he leads the party, then maybe we can think of a repeat. This is not what I am saying but this is what people of the state tell me.”

Sidhu tweets again

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who took a break from Twitter for a day fuelling speculation that he was silenced after the intervention of high command, tweeted again on Saturday to make a point that he was solidly with the Congress.
In his tweet, he threw a challenge, “Prove one meeting that I have had with another party’s leader! I have never asked anyone for any post till date. All I seek is Punjab’s prosperity. Was invited & offered Cabinet berths many times but I did not accept. Now, Our Esteemed High Command has intervened, Will wait…”

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