Navjot Sidhu had opposed the appointment of APS Deol to the top post. (File photo)
In a significant win for Navjot Singh Sidhu amid his revolt against the Congress, his pick DS Patwalia has been appointed as Punjab's top government lawyer after weeks of high drama.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi called a truce with Mr Sidhu earlier this month by accepting APS Deol's resignation as the Punjab Advocate-General.
Two key appointments - that of Mr Deol and Iqbal Sahota's as the Director-General of Police - had turned out to be a major flashpoint between the Chief Minister and Mr Sidhu, plunging the ruling party further into crisis after Amarinder Singh's dramatic exit.
After quitting as the Punjab Congress chief, Navjot Singh Sidhu had taken back his resignation but with an ultimatum - he said he won't resume charge unless Mr Deol was removed.
The 58-year-old cricketer-turned-politician had justified his objections saying that both Mr Sahota and Mr Deol were linked to the 2015 sacrilege case - a highly sensitive issue in Punjab.
Mr Deol had represented two accused cops and Iqbal Sahota was the head of one of the SITs formed by the then Akali Dal government, which Mr Sidhu has blamed for failing to ensure justice.
With Mr Sidhu by his side, Mr Channi on November 9 announced at a presser: "The Punjab cabinet has accepted the resignation of Advocate-General APS Deol."
He also said a list of replacements for the post of Punjab Director-General of Police.
But Mr Channi faced criticism from his own party colleagues after the announcement.
Reacting to the development, Punjab Congress leader Sunil Jakhar in a tweet said, "The ouster of a competent yet 'allegedly' compromised officer has exposed a 'really' compromised CM."
"Giving rise to a pertinent question - Whose government is it anyway?" asked Mr Jakhar, who was among the frontrunners for the post of Punjab Chief Minister after the resignation of Captain Amarinder Singh.
Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari in a series of tweets said both previous advocate generals of Punjab became "punching bags in proxy political wars".
"Those who subvert the institution of AG's office need to remember a lawyer is neither wedded to a client or a brief," Mr Tewari tweeted.