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The Times of India
The Times of India
National
TNN

Punjab: New Sidhuism sparks Congress crisis 2.0

PATIALA: Hours after Navjot Singh Sihdu’s resignation as the president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), several politicians including MLAs and cabinet ministers made a bee line for the former’s house in Patiala on Tuesday .

PPCC treasurer Gulzar Inder Singh Chahal, general secretary Yogendra Dhingra, and cabinet minister Razia Sultana also resigned from their posts in solidarity with Navjot Sidhu.

Punjab live updates

<p>Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira</p>

Sultana, her husband Mohammad Mustafa, who is also the principal adviser to Sidhu; Congress MP from Fategarh Sahib Amar Singh; MLAs Pargat Singh, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Bawa Henry, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Sukhwinder Singh Danny also reached Sidhu's house. Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who was included in the Punjab cabinet and given transport ministry, also reached to meet Sidhu along with two other MLAs, Barindermeet Singh Pahra and Kushaldeep Singh Kikky Dhillon.

<p> Sidhu’s adviser Mohammad Mustafa and his minister wife Razia Sultana, who later quit from the cabinet</p>

Hours before the resignation, Sultana was given the portfolios of water supply and sanitation, printing and stationery, social security and women and child development in the newly formed cabinet under chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Sultana said, “Navjot Singh Sidhu is a man of principles and has no greed. He is fighting for Punjab and Punjabiyat.”

<p>Transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring</p>

Razia Sultana, later in a reply to media queries, had claimed of being unaware about any cabinet meeting being held in Chandigarh and said she did not receive any message. She said everybody knew that some decisions were being taken that could bring such results.

<p>Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh</p>

Before going inside Sidhu’s house, Khaira said he did not want to go into any individual names about why Sidhu opposed some of them. “I personally feel that principally a person has taken a stand against corruption after a long time in Punjab. For long, Sidhu has been claiming to bring a clean and good government. If his suggestions have not been accepted by the party high command, Sidhu might have felt something. He doesn’t want to be a speechless president. We would request Sidhu to withdraw his resignation. We also expect from the party high command to redress the grievances of Navjot Sidhu as there is a solution to every problem. There are some people who have become the reason for these controversies and they should voluntarily step down, so that the immediate crisis may be defused. I am confident of a solution,” he said.

<p>School education minister Paragat Singh at Sidhu’s residence in Patiala on Tuesday</p>

Asked about Sidhu’s opposition to include Rana Gurjit Singh in the Punjab cabinet, Khaira said, “Even we legislators from Doaba had opposed the name of Rana Gurjit. We met our president earlier and asked him to covey our feelings to the party high command, but I don’t know what happened later.” Khaira, after coming out of his house, remained tightlipped and refused to comment on anything about the meeting held inside Sidhu’s house.

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