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Congress’ Harish Chaudhary says want to quit as Rajasthan minister for new role as party’s Punjab in-charge
“I have informed the party high command including party president Sonia Gandhi, former president Rahul Gandhi, our state in-charge and the chief minister,” Harish Chaudhary said.
Rajasthan revenue minister Harish Chaudhary on Wednesday conveyed his intent to leave his post as a minister, a few days after being appointed as the Congress’ in-charge for its Punjab unit. Chaudhary also said that he has expressed it to the party’s high command and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. He met with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and discussed various organisational issues.
“I have informed the party high command including party president Sonia Gandhi, former president Rahul Gandhi, our state in-charge and the chief minister,” news agency PTI quoted the minister as saying earlier in the day.
Chaudhary also said that he believed in the ideology of ‘one person one post’ and wanted to fulfil the new responsibility of Punjab Congress in-charge with dedication, PTI reported. However, he said that he did not want to fuel any speculations or controversies about his resignation as a minister and said, “This is my opinion, which I have conveyed to the party high command.”
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When asked about the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, Chaudhary expressed confidence that the Congress will win the polls with a majority and retain power in the state. He also said that he has been observing the party’s organisation in Punjab for the past few months.
With Punjab assembly elections scheduled next year, Chaudhary, reckoned to be close to Rahul Gandhi, replaced Harish Rawat as the Punjab Congress in-charge following a phase of turmoil for the party in the state. Rawat had requested the party high that he wished to concentrate on Uttarakhand assembly polls which is also slated for next year.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Amarinder Singh, earlier in the day, said that he would create his own political party before the state assembly elections. “Yes, I will be forming a new party. The name will be announced once the Election Commission clears it, along with the symbol. My lawyers are working on it,” news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying in a press meet.
Notably, he has earlier expressed his willingness for a seat-sharing agreement with the BJP, if the farmers issue was resolved.