Another jolt for Punjab Congress, Lalli Majithia quits as Pungrain chief

Cites Charanjit Singh Channi-led govt’s handling of the sacrilege and drugs issues for his decision to resign; hints at joining BJP

In another jolt to the Congress in the Majha belt of Punjab, senior party leader Sukhjinder Raj Singh, alias Lalli Majithia, who fought three assembly elections against Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Singh Majithia, on Thursday resigned from the post of the chairman-cum-director, Punjab State Grains Procurement Corporation Limited (Pungrain).

Sukhjinder Raj Singh, alias Lalli Majithia, quit as Pungrain chairman on Thursday, citing the state government’s working on the sacrilege and drugs issues. He is likely to resign from the Congress and join the BJP. (HT file photo)

He sent his resignation letter to chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and later said that he has been upset over the Punjab government’s working on two major issues — sacrilege and drugs.

He said the registration of a first information report (FIR) against Bikram Singh Majithia was merely an eyewash. “Has he gone underground? The government is deliberately not arresting him,” Lalli Majithia alleged.

In the runup to the Punjab assembly elections, he said he would consider resigning from the Congress at an “appropriate time” and joining another party in the coming days. It is learnt that he is likely to join the BJP.

His resignation comes just two days after Congress sitting MLAs Fateh Jung Bajwa from Qadian and Balwinder Singh Laddi from Shri Hargobindpur (reserved) joined the BJP in Delhi.

Fateh Jung is the younger brother of former Punjab Congress chief and Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa. Laddi also belongs to the Bajwa camp.

Last week, former minister and four-time Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi joined the BJP.