“I Have No Info on Sidhu Quitting’: Channi

Chandigarh : On Tuesday, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that he had no idea about state President Navjot Singh Sidhu quitting. He said that he will sit and speak with him.

Sidhu resigned from Congress amid some rifts with new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over his Cabinet. In the letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi he wrote, “The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda of welfare of Punjab.

Therefore, I resign as President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress.”

Sidhu has said that Amarinder Singh was replaced as Chief Minister in a series of events that had his approval. He tweeted his resignation, “The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress,” Navjot Sidhu wrote in his resignation letter.

The resignation, months before the Punjab election, has shocked the Congress leadership and is seen as a huge blow, given that the Gandhis were warned about appointing Mr Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief. It was Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who had pushed for Mr Sidhu, against all odds.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are yet to reach Delhi after their visit to Shimla.

The surprise move comes at a time new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, seen to be close to Navjot Sidhu, had been making changes to the Punjab cabinet.

Though Sidhu was widely seen to act as “Super Chief Minister” in some of the decisions, he was reportedly not consulted or was ignored in recent top appointments that were seen as controversial.

While Sidhu has resigned, Captain Amarinder Singh is scheduled to visit Delhi. He is likely to meet BJP President JP Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah.