Capt. Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab CM

Capt. Amrinder Singh submits his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Just minutes ahead of the crucial Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reached the Governor's house and submitted his and his council of ministers' resignations. The minute-by-minute changing political development began at about 11.42 pm on Friday when Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat tweeted about the decision to hold an urgent CLP meeting on Saturday. Almost 10 minutes later, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu directed all the MLAs to be present at the CLP meeting. The announcement by Rawat was 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.

Punjab Congress MLAs on Saturday authorised party president Sonia Gandhi to pick a new CLP leader, who will be the next chief minister of the state. A resolution to this effect was passed unanimously in a meeting of the CLP here. Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, current state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu and minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa are frontrunners for the post of the CLP leader, said sources.

Names of Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa are also doing the rounds. Hours after quitting, Singh launched a no-holds-barred attack against Sidhu, calling him "anti-national", "dangerous" and a "total disaster", saying he won't accept him as the next CM or the party face in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Speaking during a series of media interactions after putting in his papers, Singh made it clear that he had no intention of quitting politics. Earlier, Rawat said Singh led with great capability and gave a very good government. He faced the challenges faced by Punjab and also found their solutions.

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