Political development in state must not damage hard-earned peace in Punjab: Amrinder Singh to Sonia Gandhi

Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written a letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi stating that the political development in the state should not damage the "hard-earned peace and development" in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh stepped down from the post of Chief Minister on Saturday ahead of the meeting of party legislators in the faction-ridden state unit.

As per the content of the letter shared by Raveen Thukral, the media advisor to Amarinder Singh on Twitter, the Punjab Chief Minister said he addressed the concerns of the common man that are specific to this border state.

"Anguished at political events of last ~5 months, which were not based on a full understanding of the national imperatives of Punjab and its key concerns, @capt_amarinder wrote to Sonia Gandhi @INCIndia yesterday, apprising her of his decision to resign," Thukral tweeted.

Quoting the former Punjab CM, Thukral tweeted: "Notwithstanding my personal anguish, I hope this (developments in @INCPunjab) would not damage hard-earned peace and development in Punjab, and the efforts I have been focusing on, would continue unabated, ensuring justice to one and all."

Amarinder said that he did his best as Chief Minister of Punjab, which is a border state with many geo-political and other internal security concerns, which he tried to handle effectively without any compromise.

"People of Punjab are looking up to @INCIndia for its mature and effective public policies, which not only reflect upon good politics, but also address the concerns of the common man that are specific to this border State, @capt_amarinder to Sonia Gandhi in the letter yesterday," the media advisor tweeted.

"Did my best as CM of Punjab, which is a border state with many geo-political and other internal security concerns, which I tried to handle effectively without any compromise. Happy that State remained fully peaceful, with complete communal harmony," writes Captain in his letter.

"Not only I established rule of law and ensured transparent governance, but maintained ethical conduct even in the management of political affairs, winning 8 out of 13 seats in the Parliament Elections in 2019 and the PRI and ULB Elections decisively," he added.

Congress MLAs in Punjab reiterated that the decision over the prospective candidate for the post of Punjab CM lies in the hands of the party's high command.

"A decision will be taken in the next 2-3 hours on the announcement of new Punjab CM," Congress MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa informed the media persons.

Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni has turned down the offer to be the next Chief Minister of Punjab, a day after, Captain Amarinder Singh resigned, stating that she believes that a Sikh should handle the top post.

Speaking to the media persons here on Sunday, the Rajya Sabha MP said: "I have declined the offer to be the next Punjab CM. I believe Punjab CM face should be a Sikh."

Presently observers, Ajay Maken, Harish Rawat, Harish Chaudhary and Navjot Singh Sidhu are holding meetings with MLAs at a hotel in Chandigarh.

The Congress Legislature Party, earlier on Saturday, unanimously passed a resolution to give Congress chief Sonia Gandhi power to nominate the new Chief Minister of Punjab after Captain Amarinder Singh stepped down.

( With inputs from ANI )