It took 10 years for the Congress party to come to power in Punjab, but just 10 months for its senior leader Rana Gurjeet Singh to lose the coveted berth in the Council of Ministers.
A businessman-turned-politician’s first-ever stint as a Minister ended in a short span on Thursday with the Congress National President Rahul Gandhi putting his stamp of approval on his departure from Punjab Cabinet while sending out a clear message on his intolerance towards corruption.
“Rana Gurjeet’s resignation has been accepted,” said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi at the national capital.
“I have discussed the issue of the resignation, which the Minister had submitted 10 days ago, with Rahul Gandhi and then decided to accept the same,” he said.
The resignation, which was submitted by Rana Gurjeet on January 4, has also been forwarded to the Governor for necessary action. As of now, Capt Amarinder has taken charge of Rana Gurjeet’s portfolios — Power and Irrigation — for the time being.
In his resignation, Rana Gurjit had said that though he had not been associated with his family business for the past 10 years, the controversy surrounding it in recent months had left him with no option but to tender his resignation in the interest of his party.
He did not want the issue to mar the good work done by the Congress government in Punjab and had, in the bigger interest of his party and government, chosen to step down, he said.
“By taking this decision, Rahul has made his stand on corruption very clear. The party cannot be even perceived to be overlooking it,” Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar told The Pioneer after the meeting, which was also attended by party’s national general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari and Harish Chaudhary.
Sources in the party maintained that Rana Gurjeet’s fate had been sealed even before the meeting was started.
During the meeting, Rana Gurjeet’s resignation was the first issue to be discussed, followed by discussion on Cabinet expansion, restructuring of party’s state unit, impending ludhiana civic body polls, and 2019 lok Sabha polls.
Other than that, the discussion was also held on the party’s pre-poll promises including the farm debt waiver and government’s campaign against drugs.
Welcoming the decision, Rana Gurjeet claimed that he was a Congressman and would always be one, and he stepped down in the party’s interest.
Facing sandstorm, Rana Gurjeet had reportedly lost support of some of his Cabinet colleagues who have suggested Capt Amarinder that his continuance on the post would severely affect the government’s image.
In fact, many senior leaders, couple of ministers, and some MlAs and MPs have met Rahul Gandhi and given feedback of the party’s standing, and that of the government in particular, in the state amidst the allegations against Rana Gurjeet for his involvement in the sand mining auctions, together with the summons to his son by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for raising funds abroad without mandatory permissions.
It was Aam Aadmi Party, the principal opposition in the state, that led the campaign against Rana Gurjeet with his arch rival and leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Sukhpal Khaira coming up with one exposé after another almost every day.