Ahead of the crucial Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh met the Governor of Punjab on Saturday evening and submitted his and his council of ministers’ resignation.
Speaking to media persons outside the Governor's residence minutes after submitting his resignation, Singh said he was open to explore 'future options' after talking to people who have been his supporters in his 52-years of political life.
Earlier today Raveen Thukral, Media Advisor to the Punjab CM had informed through his Tweet that the CM will meet the Governor at the latter's residence at 4:30 pm.
Also Read
As reported earlier in the day, the party high command is said to have conveyed to the Chief Minister to resign.
However, the Chief Minister 'threatened' to quit the party for being humiliated.
"Amarinder Singh spoke to the interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the morning and told her that he is being humiliated and he will resign from the party," a close confidant of the Chief Minister told IANS.
According to some senior party leaders, the high command has categorically asked Amarinder Singh to step down.
The minute-by-minute changing political development began close to midnight on Friday when Congress' Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat tweeted about the decision to hold an urgent CLP meeting on Saturday.
About 10 minutes later, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu directed all the MLAs to be present at the CLP meeting.
The announcement by Rawat is being seen as an indication from the high command to appoint a new incumbent under whose helm the party will go to the Assembly polls, slated in March 2022.
Responding to the political developments, former state Congress President Sunil Jakhar tweeted: "Kudos to Sh Rahul Gandhi for adopting Alexandrian solution to this Punjabi version of Gordian knot.
"Surprisingly, this bold leadership decision to resolve Punjab Congress imbroglio has not only enthralled Congress workers but has sent shudders down the spines of Akalis."
The decision to call the CLP comes in the wake of the fresh letter signed by a majority of legislators, who expressed their dissatisfaction with Amarinder Singh and demanded his removal from the Chief Minister's post.
Meanwhile, AICC deputed party general secretary Ajay Maken and Harish Chowdhry reached Chandigarh as central observers for the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting slated later on Saturday. Harish Rawat is also reaching here.
(With Inputs From IANS)