Punjab Cabinet ministers, opposition SAD dub Sidhu's resignation as 'drama'

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is facing flak for quitting the Punjab Cabinet, with both the opposition as well as his ministerial colleagues terming his move a ‘drama’ by the ‘king of theatrics’.

While Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) termed the resignation by Sidhu a ‘drama’, its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to dismiss him immediately.

Sidhu on Sunday posted his resignation letter, addressed to Rahul Gandhi, who has quit as the party's president, on Twitter and tagged senior Congress leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ahmed Patel.    

"My letter to the Congress President Shri. Rahul Gandhi Ji, submitted on 10 June 2019," reads the tweet.

The letter dated June 10 was sent to Gandhi four days after Sidhu's portfolios of local government and cultural affairs were changed by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Though Gandhi has resigned, Congress still considers him to be its chief.

The cricketer-turned-politician, however, in another tweet said, "Will be sending my resignation to the Chief Minister, Punjab."

In a joint statement, Punjab ministers Brahm Mohindra and Charanjit Singh Channi quipped whether Sidhu "was so dumb he didn't know that the cabinet minister post was not a party post, and his resignation could not be accepted by the Congress president."

"This is nothing but drama from the 'king of theatrics'. If he had to resign he should have followed protocol and sent it directly to the chief minister," the ministers said.

Sidhu, who has been at loggerheads with Amarinder Singh since the portfolio reshuffle, was also urged by the ministers to show more dignity and decorum in his actions.

"In any case, since when had Twitter become the platform for appointments/resignations" and why did it take Sidhu 34 days to announce his resignation, Mohindra and Channi asked in their letter.

"It's a drama," Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, adding that he failed to understand the logic behind Sidhu submitting the resignation letter to Gandhi.

On Sidhu addressing his letter to Rahul Gandhi, Sukhbir Singh Badal said he failed to understand the logic behind Sidhu submitting his resignation letter to Gandhi and termed the entire episode a "drama".