Days after his Gurdaspur defeat, Punjab Congress chief sends resignation

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 27

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar has sent his resignation from the post to party chief Rahul Gandhi taking moral responsibility for losing his own Lok Sabha seat of Gurdaspur and for the party’s not so encouraging performance in Punjab.

Jakhar told The Tribune, “How can I continue as state chief when I failed to retain my own seat?”

Jakhar’s letter to Gandhi says he was unable to retain his segment despite the best support Congress president, AICC general secretary Priyanka Vadra and state Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

“Everyone supported me fully and put in their best for me but I was unable to defend my seat. In such a scenario I cannot continue as state chief. I felt a moral responsibility to quit and sent my resignation to Rahul Gandhi,” said Jakhar who is in Delhi on Monday.

Asked if he had been asked for a report on Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Jakhar said, “As I said I have myself put in my papers.”

It remains unclear how things will pan out from here for Sidhu who has been at the receiving end of Punjab CM and other ministers for making anti party remarks in Bathinda which state leaders feel cost them across the state including in Bathinda.

Jakhar’s resignation is part of a spate of resignations by state Congress chiefs including Jharkhand, Odisha and UP earlier.

It remains to be seen how the party leadership responds to these resignations.