Chandigarh, March 16 (IANS) Days after facing humiliating defeat in Punjab from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday resigned from the post.
In a one-line resignation to party President Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu wrote, "I hereby resign as President (PPCC)."
The AAP came to power by sweeping the Assembly polls with a three-fourths majority as heavyweights fall by wayside.
A day earlier, Sonia Gandhi asked party chiefs Sidhu in Punjab, Ganesh Godiyal in Uttarakhand, Ajay Kumar Lallu in Uttar Pradesh, Girish Chodankar in Goa and Nameirakpam Loken Singh in Manipur to resign.
Sidhu, once a Chief Minister aspirant, faced defeat from his stronghold Amritsar (East) seat.
He was locked in a high-profile contest with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia but faced defeat from the hands of AAP greenhorn candidate Jeevanjyot Kaur, who defeated him by a margin of 6,750 votes.
Low-profile hygiene activist Kaur, who believed in door-to-door connect with electorate, emerged as the 'giant slayer' by showing the door to two political heavyweights -- Sidhu and Majithia, who were busy in mudslinging against each other.
In 2017, cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu not only defeated his BJP rival Rajesh Honey with a big margin of over 42,000 votes but also played a role of a game-changer for the party by winning 10 out of 11 seats in Amritsar district, once the citadel of the SAD-BJP combine.
Sidhu is a three-time Amritsar MP from the BJP. In 2014 he "sacrificed" this seat for his 'guru' Arun Jaitley. Later he was adjusted in the Rajya Sabha by the BJP but not finding a bigger role in Punjab, he quit the party and resigned from Parliament.
Member of the Supreme Court appointed committee on farm laws, Anil Ghanwat, on Tuesday wrote to the apex court to release their committee's report and also said he will mobilise a lakh farmers, who support farm reforms, to Delhi.
Invest Punjab has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Punjab State Office-Renewable Gas Association of India for setting up bio-fuel projects and compressed bio-gas plants (Bio-CNG) that will help in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions generated by stubble burning.
Kejriwal gave eight guarantees to teachers for comprehensive education reforms in Punjab and promised that these guarantees would be implemented on priority if the AAP government is formed in 2022.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ridiculed present Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for his frequent accusations that he had "connived with the Badals" and harmed Punjab's interests.
The Bill has been listed for introduction, consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha. It is among 26 new Bills, which are to be introduced in the Parliament session beginning November 29.
MSP is the price that the government declares in advance and pays at the time of procurement of crops from the farmers at the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), popular as Mandis. The concept is derived from the fact that the farmers should not suffer losses owing to lesser rates in the open market.
