Sidhu says he has taken back his resignation as Punjab Congress chief

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said he has withdrawn his resignation as Punjab Congress chief, over a month after he took the decision to step down from the post.

I have taken back my resignation, he said.

Making the announcement at a press conference here, Sidhu, however, said he will assume charge the day Punjab will get a new Advocate General.

He had earlier expressed his reservations over the appointment of senior advocate A P S Deol as the state's advocate general.

Deol had represented former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, who headed the state police six years ago during the incidents of sacrilege and police firing on protesters.

 

Sidhu asserted that offices of AG and DGP are crucial to take to logical conclusion the issues of Bargari sacrilege and drugs.

He had on September 28 resigned as the chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu, had, however, said he would continue to serve the party.

He had taken over as the state party chief in July this year.

"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," he wrote in the resignation letter.

Congress general secretary and former in-charge of Punjab affairs, Harish Rawat had recently said Sidhu would continue as the state party chief.

After the tussle in Punjab Congress between Sidhu and Captain Amarinder Singh escalated in August, the party had appointed Sidhu as the Congress chief apparently against the wishes of the then Chief Minister.

Amarinder Singh had in September stepped down as the chief minister and recently tendered his resignation from the primary membership of Congress which has also been accepted by party interim chief Sonia Gandhi. The former chief minister has launched a new party 'Punjab Lok Congress'.