The Congress is working on solving a crisis in the party over the Punjab Chief Minister
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar has commended his colleague Rahul Gandhi for making a decisive move to restore order in the state unit, amid pressure from Congress MLAs to replace Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Mr Singh quit as Chief Minister today.
Mr Singh, ahead of a meeting of MLAs called this evening, had told Congress chief Sonia Gandhi he "can't continue in the party with this kind of humiliation", sources said. Today's meeting led to a leadership change in the Punjab Congress government, weeks after the party managed to broker peace between Mr Singh and his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu.
"Kudos to Rahul Gandhi for adopting Alexandrian solution to this Punjabi version of Gordian knot. Surprisingly, this bold leadership decision to resolve Punjab Congress imbroglio has not only enthralled congress workers but has sent shudders down the spines of Akalis," Mr Jakhar tweeted, referring to the proverbial word used to describe a complex problem that can be solved only with bold action.
The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal has been attacking Mr Singh as "the most hated man in Punjab". Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had said even Congress MLAs were against the Chief Minister. "...If you conduct a poll on the most hated man in Punjab, the result will be Captain Amarinder Singh. Not only us, but people and Congress MLAs are also against him," Mr Badal had said.
A section of Congress MLAs after revolting against Mr Singh has been keeping up pressure on the party. Today's unscheduled meeting reportedly stunned the Chief Minister.
The names of three leaders are in circulation, say sources, as possible replacements of the Chief Minister - Sunil Jakhar, Pratap Singh Bajwa and Ravneet Singh Bittu.