With speculations doing the rounds former Punjab Congress president Sunil Kumar Jakhar is among the frontrunners to become the next chief minister of Punjab, a year ahead the state goes to the elections, outgoing chief minister Amarinder Singh said the high command can make whoever they have faith in the next chief minister of the state.
Following months of dissidence in the party, fuelled by Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu who was promoted to the post of the party chief in the state in July, Captain Amarinder Singh stepped down from his post and expressed how humiliated he felt as he had been summoned thrice by the central leadership in the past two months.
"...I told Congress President that I will be resigning today...Did they have an element of doubt that I couldn't run the govt...I feel humiliated...Whoever they have faith in, can make them (CM)," Amarinder Singh said.
How Amarinder Singh resignation as Punjab CM unfolded: A timeline
"I have spent 52 years in politics and remained the chief minister for 9.5 years. I will consult my supporters and all those people who have been with me in my long journey and decide about that," Amarinder Singh said when he was asked whether he will be accepting the new chief minister.
{{/usCountry}}"I have spent 52 years in politics and remained the chief minister for 9.5 years. I will consult my supporters and all those people who have been with me in my long journey and decide about that," Amarinder Singh said when he was asked whether he will be accepting the new chief minister.
{{/usCountry}}As Amarinder Singh came to submit his resignation, he was accompanied by his wife and MP Preneet Kaur and son Raninder Singh. "I am proud to accompany my father to Raj Bhawan when he submits his resignation as CM of Punjab and leads us as head of our family into a new beginning," Raninder Singh said in a tweet earlier.
Amid the Captain-Sidhu tussle which was going on even after the High Command attempted to broker peace by promoting Sidhu to the post of the party chief in the state, over 50 Congress MLAs wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking replacement of Amarinder Singh. The MLAs in their letter sought the convening of the Congress Legislature Party meeting, which is being held in Chandigarh.