Razia Sultana resigns from Punjab cabinet in 'solidarity' with Navjot Singh Sidhu

Chandigarh: Hours after Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned as Punjab Congress chief, Punjab Minister Razia Sultana resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday to express "solidarity" with the former.

While Sultana resigned as Punjab cabinet minister, days after taking oath as a legislator, three other Punjab Congress leaders resigned from their party posts.

In her resignation, she said she was quitting "in solidarity with Navjot Singh Sidhu".

Her resignation came hours after she was given water supply and sanitation, social security, women and child development, printing, and stationery departments in the new Cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

Her husband, Mohammed Msolidarityustafa, a former Director-General of Police, was appointed Sidhu's chief strategic adviser when the latter took over as Punjab Congress chief in July.

Punjab Congress general secretary Yoginder Dhingra and treasurer Gulzar Inder Singh Chahal also tendered their resignations. Dhinga and Chahal were appointed by the All India Congress Committee on September 21 after Sidhu recommended their names.

Sidhu's resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi said he could not "compromise" on the future of Punjab, although his letter did not explain this any further.

Sources however said Sidhu, who took over the reins of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in July after a prolonged power struggle with then chief minister Amarinder Singh, his political rival, was displeased with some recent political developments—including the induction of certain Members of Legislative Assembly in the newly reformed Punjab cabinet and the most recent appointment of APS Deol to the position of the state's advocate general.