Amarinder calls Sidhu 'acolyte of Pakistan's deep state' in resignation letter to Congress, announces new party

Former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh formally resigned from the Congress on Tuesday and also announced a new party Punjab Lok Congress ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Listing reasons for his resignation in a scathing seven-page letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Amarinder said, “Despite my profound reservations and over the unanimous advice of almost all the MPs from Punjab, you chose to appoint an acolyte of the Pakistani deep state Navjyot Singh Sindhu who had publicly hugged the Pakistan Army Chief Gen Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the President of the Punjab Congress Committee.”

Amarinder said Sidhu's only claim to fame was that he would abuse him and his government.

"I am old enough to be his father but did not stop him from using the filthiest and most vile language against me both publicly and privately," he said.

He wrote that Sidhu, rather being reigned in, was unfortunately patronised by Rahul and Priyanka and accused Sonia  Gandhi of turning a blind eye to the shenanigans of Sidhu who was aided and abetted by the General Secretary in-charge Harish Rawat.

"I actually felt deeply hurt by your conduct and that of your children who I still deeply love as much as my own children, having known their father, since we were in school together since 1954, which is for 67 years now," Amarinder wrote.

Amarinder further likened the operation to oust him as chief minister to the 1975 Emergency.

Hitting out at Rawat, Amarinder said, "He is perhaps the most dubious individual I had the occasion to make acquaintance of."

Citing the legislature party meeting called on Twitter, he said he understood the  "intention was to belittle and humiliate" him. The next morning, Mrs Gandhi called him and asked for his resignation from the top post, he wrote.

Amarinder said despite the Congress president knowing him for the better part of his 52 years in public life and that too at deeply personal level, she never understood him or his character.

"You thought I was getting on in years and should be put to pasture. I am neither tired nor retired. I feel I have a lot to give and contribute to my beloved Punjab. I intend to soldier on and not fade away," he added

Singh concluded by saying that he was resigning from the Indian National Congress in the interest of Punjab and the country.

Amarinder resigned as chief minister of Punjab on September 18 following a prolonged tussle with state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. At the time of tendering his resignation to the Governor, Singh had said that he felt "humiliated" by the tacit support Congress' national leadership extended to Sidhu.

Singh was replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of the state.

A few days ago, Amarinder had dismissed reports of back channel talks with the Congress as incorrect, saying the time for rapprochement was over and his decision to leave the grand old party was final.

Singh had reiterated that he will soon launch his political party and said he wanted to build "a strong collective force in the interest of Punjab".

He had indicated that he will float a political party ahead of Assembly polls in Punjab.

With inputs from agencies