Punjab Congress crisis: Top leadership in wait and watch mode over Sidhu's resignation as PCC chief

The top Congress leadership has not accepted Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation, is adopting a wait and watch policy and has asked the local party leadership to resolve the matter.

Sidhu's resignation as state party chief has intensified the crisis in the Punjab Congress, and triggered discussions and deliberations in the party.

A leader involved in the process toldthat the Congress top leadership is maintaining a wait and watch stance in the matter.

"We are maintaining a wait and watch policy as Navjot Singh Sidhu is an emotional person. His resignation has not been accepted by the party president and we have asked the state leadership to resolve the issue," he said.

Sidhu, a cricketer-turned-politician, caused a surprise with his resignation as Punjab Congress chief on Tuesday.

"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 to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Sidhu was appointed as the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) on July 23.

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 to resolve 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 Ministers Pargat Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring met Sidhu at his residence in Patiala.

"There are some minor issues that arose out of some misunderstandings and will be resolved tomorrow," Warring told reporters while leaving Sidhu's residence.

Meanwhile, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said "I had said that he (Navjot Singh Sidhu) is an unstable man, he would not stay for long and the same happened."

Veteran Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, whom Sidhu had replaced as state party chief, tweeted, "It's just not cricket! What stands compromised in this entire 'episode' is the faith reposed in the (outgoing?) PCC President by the Congress Leadership. No amount of grandstanding can justify this breach of trust placing his benefactors in a peculiar predicament."

The tussle in Punjab Congress escalated after the party's central leadership sought to bury the hatchet by appointing Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Congress chief apparently against the desire of the then chief minister.

( With inputs from ANI )