Sidhu resigns as Punjab Congress chief; Minister Razia Sultana quits

New Delhi: Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday resigned as the chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, plunging the party into a fresh crisis just months ahead of the assembly elections in the state. Punjab Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana also quit hours later "in solidarity with Sidhu".

Yoginder Dhingra and Gulzar Inder Chahal resigned as general secretary of the party's state unit and treasurer respectively.

Sidhu quit the post shortly after the allocation of portfolios to the members of the new state Cabinet. In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said he will continue to serve the party.

Sidhu had taken over as the state party chief in July amid a leadership tussle with Amarinder Singh, who stepped down as CM 10 days back while accusing the party high command of humiliating him.

The cricketer-turned-politician didn't elaborate why he has quit. "The collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab," he said in his letter to Sonia Gandhi.

"Therefore, I hereby resign as the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress," he wrote.

Amarinder Singh, who had called Sidhu "dangerous" and "anti-national", and said he will pit a strong candidate against him to ensure that he doesn't become the chief minister, was quick to react. "I told you so… he is not a stable man not fit for the border state of Punjab," the former CM tweeted.

The abrupt resignation took place on a day Amarinder Singh was headed for Delhi. Singh's travel plan had triggered speculation that he might meet some BJP leaders. His media aide, however, said the Congress veteran had come to the capital on a personal visit and will vacate Kapurthala House, where the Punjab CM stays during trips to Delhi.

Sidhu's resignation has also prompted speculation over the next move of the politician, who was with the BJP before he joined the Congress.

The Aam Aadmi Party claimed that Punjab Sidhu quit from his post as he "could not bear" that a Dalit has been made the chief minister of the state. The Congress has sought to burnish its pro-Dalit credentials ahead of next year's Assembly elections by making Charanjit Singh Channi Channi the first member of the community to become Punjab chief minister.

"This shows that Navjot Singh Sidhu is against Dalits. One poor son was made chief minister. This, Sidhu could not bear. It is very sad," AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told reporters.

Amarinder headed to Delhi amid speculation about his future course of action, days after he quit as the Punjab chief minister. It is his first visit to the national capital after he resigned on September 18.

Some media reports claimed he may meet some BJP leaders in Delhi after which Amarinder Singh's media adviser Raveen Thukral sought to clarify the reason for his visit.

Thukral said he was on a personal visit to the national capital. "Too much being read into @capt_amarinder's visit to Delhi.

He's on a personal visit, during which he'll meet some friends and also vacate Kapurthala house for the new CM. No need for any unnecessary speculation," tweeted Thukral.