Sunil Jakhar quits Congress, offers praise (and warning) for Rahul Gandhi

Sunil Jakhar on Facebook Live ripped into Congress leaders 'sitting in Delhi (who have) ruined the party in Punjab'.

Updated on: May 14, 2022, 15:38:32 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Ex Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar - who announced his resignation from the party Saturday in a Facebook Live post - reserved a few words of praise for senior leader Rahul Gandhi, whom he called 'a good person'. Jakhar - removed from posts last month over 'anti-party activities' - called on Gandhi to retake control and warned him to 'distance yourself from sycophants'. "Good luck and goodbye, Congress…" Jakhar said as he wound up his outburst.

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar (HT File Photo) (HT_PRINT)

Jakhar's bombshell announcement comes as the Congress enters the second day of its Chintan Shivir meet in Rajasthan - a three-day meeting of senior leaders to review the party's disastrous results in five state elections held in February-March and plot a course for recovery ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Sunil Jakhar 'worth his weight in gold', says Navjot Sidhu

His comments today underlined how much work the Congress must do to put its house in order and emerge as a serious challenger to the BJP - both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls due later this year and next year's general election.

Jakhar, Thomas removed from Congress posts over ‘anti-party activities'

On his Facebook Live post the 68-year-old ripped into Congress leaders 'sitting in Delhi (who have) ruined the party in Punjab'.

That swipe was for the party's defeat to the Aam Aadmi Party in the February election; the Congress was ousted from power in Punjab (one of the very few states it ruled outright) after serial infighting that began with then chief minister Amarinder Singh and ex state chief Navjot Sidhu sparring - publicly, bitterly - and spilled over into an exchange of swipes with CM Charanjit Channi.

Jakhar also blamed Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni and her comment on 'repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab' for the party's poor showing in state polls. Soni, in September, had turned down an offer to replace Amarinder Singh, saying "…for Punjab there has to be a Sikh face".

That was over speculation Jakhar was not considered as chief minister because he is a Hindu; then too he had blamed 'senior advisers sitting in Delhi'.

Sunil Jakhar skips giving reply to Congress disciplinary panel notice

Jakhar earlier also blamed Channi for the Congress's poor performance - comments that invited a show-cause notice from the party. He never replied to the notice, which also spoke about alleged 'derogatory' remarks against Channi.

Jakhar had called Channi a ‘liability whose greed pulled the party down'.

Punjab polls results: Channi proved a liability, not an asset, says Jakhar

The AAP swept the polls winning 92 of 117 assembly seats, pushing the Congress to a distant runner-up position with only 18 seats.

Meanwhile, during his rant on Facebook, Jakhar also slammed Harish Chaudhary, former state in-charge Harish Rawat and Tariq Anwar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.