Congress being Congress! An eventful day witnessed with induction and resignation happened in just one day

New Delhi, Sept 29: The Indian National Congress witnessed a full-on entertainment day on Tuesday with induction taking place in New Delhi and resignation in Punjab. It looked like it was meant to happen as Congress is involved in all this chaos happening around.

 

 

 

Several political developments in Congress yesterday as a series of resignations in Punjab and the induction of former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar into the party's fold took place. Initially, what came as a shocker was the resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress president. "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 the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress," Sidhu said in his resignation letter.

 

 

Responding to his resignation, former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh took a dig at him saying that he had told earlier that Sidhu is not a stable man. "I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab," Singh tweeted without mentioning Sidhu.

 

 

However, it should be noted that his resignation was not accepted by the top brass of Congress. Top leadership has asked the state leadership to resolve the matter at their own level first. He stepped down just after two months. Just after Congress thougt the worst was over, a series of resignations poured in after Sidhu's resignation. A minister and three Congress leaders, considered close to Sidhu, stepped down from their posts delivering a big blow to the Congress high command that was hoping of resolving the tussle between Sidhu and captain Amarinder Singh after Navjot was appointed as Punjab Congress President ahead of the Assembly elections early next year.

 

 

Punjab Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana resigned from her ministerial post in "solidarity" with Sidhu. While Gautam Seth resigned as General Secretary (in-charge training) of Punjab Congress, Yoginder Dhingra resigned as General Secretary of the party's state unit. State party treasurer Gulzar Inder Chahal also stepped down from his post.

 

In another development, at the same time, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh had left for Delhi. It was reported that he will be meeting Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda. He might now sail other ship giving another shock for Congress. However, he said that he has come to Delhi to vacate Kapurthala House, further clarifying that he is not going to meet any politician during his visit. Speaking to reporters at the Delhi airport, Singh said, "I am here to vacate Kapurthala House (the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister in New Delhi). I am not going to meet any politician here."

 

 

In another event, former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader and ex-member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) national executive Kanhaiya Kumar joined Congress in the presence of party leader Rahul Gandhi at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Jignesh Mewani, who is an independent MLA from the Vadgam constituency in Gujarat and convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM) was also said to join the Congress and was present at the AICC headquarters when Kumar joined the party. However, later while addressing a joint press conference, Mewani clarified that he could not join the Congress due to some "technical" reasons.

 

 

He further clarified that he is an independent MLA and if he joins a party, he may not continue as an MLA. However, extending his support to Congress, Mewani said that ideologically he is with the party. He announced he shall contest the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls from Congress. Mewani said, "I could not join Congress formally due to technical reasons. I am an independent MLA, if I join a party, I may not continue as an MLA... I am part of the Congress ideologically, will fight the upcoming Gujarat polls from Congress symbol."