Punjab Congress News Live Updates: Navjot Singh Sidhu quits as Punjab Congress chief; CM Channi holds first cabinet meeting

Punjab Congress News Live Updates: There are a string of factors behind the surprise resignation, chief among them being Sidhu not allowed to have his way in appointments to senior administrative posts, selection of ministers and allocation of portfolios.

Punjab Congress News Live Updates: A day after he stepped down as president of the Congress party in Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu, in a video released on Twitter, said that he witnessed issues and agendas being “compromised” in the state. Clarifying that he had no “personal agenda”, Sidhu said, “17 years of my political career has been for a purpose, to make difference, to take a stand and to make people’s lives better.”

“I can’t compromise with my ethics, moral authority,” he added. “I can’t disguise high command nor can I let them be disguised.”

There are a string of factors behind the surprise resignation, chief among them being Sidhu not allowed to have his way in appointments to senior administrative posts, selection of ministers and allocation of portfolios. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has called for a state cabinet meeting at State Secretariat today.

 

Punjab Congress News Live Updates: ‘Witnessed a compromise with issues, agendas,’ says Sidhu; CM Charanjit Singh Channi calls for state cabinet meeting at State Secretariat
 

The wheel has turned a full circle for cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu. Five years back, in July 2016, he resigned from his Rajya Sabha membership and two months later quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) citing Punjab to be his priority. On Tuesday, he quit as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Today, the former three-time Amritsar Lok Sabha MP stands at another important junction of his 17-year-old political career. Having taken on and defeated politically the tallest Congress leader in Punjab and two-time chief minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, Sidhu has once again raised the banner of ‘Punjab first’. And having succeeded in overthrowing Capt Amarinder, he has now taken on the new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on the same principles and issues. Read the full report here. 

Breaking his silence a day after abruptly resigning as the Punjab Congress chief, Navot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday raised questions over the appointments of the director general of police and the state’s advocate general. Plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis months ahead of the assembly elections in the state, Sidhu put in his papers on Tuesday shortly after the allocation of portfolios to the new ministers of the Charanjit Singh Channi cabinet. (PTI)

Claiming that it has got a “positive response” from the ground after choosing Charanjit Singh Channi as Chief Minister, the Congress high command was keen not to let Navjot Singh Sidhu remote-control the government in Punjab. This was cited by sources as one of the reasons behind Sidhu’s surprising resignation as state unit chief of the Congress.

The high command is said to have stood by Channi even as Sidhu tried to have his way in appointments to senior administrative posts, selection of ministers and allocation of portfolios. 

Congress leaders familiar with the developments in Punjab pointed out that though Sidhu had his say in some of the crucial decisions post Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation from the top post, he was “angry and upset” that his suggestions were ignored in the appointment of some top officials. Read the full report here. 

A day after his resignation, Sidhu said, ‘I can’t compromise with my ethics, moral authority. What I witnessed was a compromise with issues, agenda in Punjab. I can’t disguise high command nor can I let them be disguised.’ 

In a video shared on his Twitter handle, Sidhu said, “No personal rivalry with anyone.17 years of my political career have been for a purpose, to make a difference, to take a stand and to make people’s lives better. This is my only religion.” 

Even though Navjot Singh Sidhu surprised everybody with his sudden resignation from post of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president on Tuesday afternoon, the man himself has been at the receiving end of several surprises since Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation as Punjab chief minister.

Sidhu had spearheaded the campaign to topple Amarinder Singh. However, he turned out to be the last person to gain from this move politically, after formation of the new Congress government with Charanjit Singh Channi as chief minister. Sidhu had played key role in convincing the Congress high command to replace Amarinder Singh.

The reality turned out to be completely different as Sidhu found his rivals in Amritsar City turning out to be more powerful with Channi as CM than they were during Amarinder’s government. Read the full report here. 

A day after Navjot Singh Sidhu’s resignation, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi held a state cabinet meeting in Chandigarh. 

Even though Navjot Singh Sidhu surprised everybody with his sudden resignation from post of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president on Tuesday afternoon, the man himself has been at the receiving end of several surprises since Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation as Punjab chief minister.

Sidhu had spearheaded the campaign to topple Amarinder Singh. However, he turned out to be the last person to gain from this move politically, after formation of the new Congress government with Charanjit Singh Channi as chief minister. Sidhu had played key role in convincing the Congress high command to replace Amarinder Singh.

The reality turned out to be completely different as Sidhu found his rivals in Amritsar City turning out to be more powerful with Channi as CM than they were during Amarinder’s government.

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