Punjab CM Amarinder Singh resigns along with Council of Ministers; says 'felt humiliated'

After months of fighting, and reconciling with his fellow Congres leaders , Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday, tendered his resignation along with that of his Council of Ministers, to the state Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Amarinder Singh was accompanied to the Raj Bhawan by his wife Preneet Kaur, and Raveen Thukral, his advisor. His son Raninder Singh was also present, along with MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Ravneet Singh Bittu, AG Atul Nanda and Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar. Before heading to the Raj Bhawan, Amarinder Singh had held a meeting with his loyalists. 

'Let them make who they trust the CM' 

After tendering his resignation, Amarinder Singh confirmed the same to the media,"I had informed the Congress President earlier in the day that I will be tendering my resignation. They called the MLAs to Delhi twice and are now convening Congress Legislative Party meeting here in Chandigarh today. This makes me feel that they have an element of doubt on me, that I wasn't able to run the government." The outgoing Chief Minister added," It's better that they give the Chief Ministership to someone they trust".

Making it clear that his quitting the post is not a sign of his quitting politics, Amarinder Singh said, "There is always an option of future. I will talk to my loyalists, and make a decision regarding the same. "I will let you all know," the outgoing CM added. 

Meanwhile, the CLP meeting is scheduled to take place at 5 in the evening, in which sources inform that Captain Amarinder Singh has not been invited.   

Face-off between Amarinder Singh & Sidhu

The tiff between Navjot Singh Sidhu and Captain Amarinder Singh escalated earlier this year after the two fired salvos at each other in public and on social media. This led to an open request by the cricketer-turned-politician for an intervention of the Congress High Command. To end factionalism in the party's Punjab unit, Congress president Sonia Gandhi formed a committee comprising Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, ex-Delhi MP JP Agarwal, and AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab Harish Rawat on May 28. Since then, the panel met multiple stakeholders including MLAs, ministers, and the CM to ascertain their views ahead of the 2022 Assembly Elections. Ignoring Singh's protests, Gandhi appointed Sidhu as the Punjab Congress President on July 18. Despite his appointment, the Congress failed to calm waters in the Punjab Congress, as Sidhu continued attacks against the Captain-led Congress government in the state.