After enormous pressure from Punjab congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Channi government ultimately bowed to his demands and decided to remove APS Deol from the post of Advocate General.
Sidhu, who last week withdrew his resignation as PPCC chief had given a final ultimatum to CM Channi and said "they can choose between him and compromised officials."
Following the stalemate dispute, CM Channi in an attempt to present a united front held a press conference along with Mr Sidhu in the state capital and announced, among other Cabinet decisions, that Mr Deol's resignation has been accepted.
The development has confirmed that even though Channi is named for Chief Minister’s chair, Sidhu is the “Super CM” of Punjab.
The decision taken by Channi government is receiving backlash from other Congressmen who ask “Whose government is it Anyway?”
The scenario in Punjab, without any doubt, can be compared to the 2013 incident when former PM of India- Dr Manmohan Singh was used as a puppet by Congress.
In 2013, Rahul Gandhi had torn up an ordinance on convicted lawmakers when Dr Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister of the UPA government. Following the incident, Manmohan Singh was ready to quit as PM, however he did not. Only after that did the country start to recognize Dr Singh as a ‘dummy PM’ of Gandhi family.
Now, Sidhu can be seen following the footsteps of Rahul Gandhi.
Also Read: 2002 Gujarat Riots: SC gives clean chit to PM Modi; Zakia Jafri opposes
Notably, after the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh, Sidhu desired to be the CM. However, party leadership, in order to woo Dalit voters, named Charanjit Singh Channi as the CM. Since then Sidhu is attacking the newly made CM over several issues.
Just a day after Channi announced his Cabinet of ministers, Sidhu tendered his resignation as party unit chief accusing CM of appointing “compromised” individuals in his government. From the appointment of AG and DGP to overprice electricity issue in state, Sidhu has targeted Channi government and ultimately made the CM bow in front of his demands.
Congress averts another crisis
Congress averted yet another crisis in Punjab as the Channi government accepted APS Deol's resignation on Tuesday. Now, the new AG will be appointed on Wednesday.
In a joint press conference with Sidhu, CM Channi said, "Jitthe chalenga, chalungi naal tere, tikta do le lein" (wherever you go, I will go with you, take two tickets). This clearly demonstrated CM Channi's helplessness, as Sidhu and the party leadership became obstacles to his work despite his position as CM.