Image description

Navjot Singh Sidhu, the party's Punjab Chairman, resigned from his role today, a day after Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi removed the party's chiefs in the five states where the party suffered humiliating losses.

"I have given my resignation as requested by the Congress President," he stated on Twitter, including a copy of his letter to Sonia Gandhi.

The resignations were requested to "ease the re-organisation" of the state Congress units, said to Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

"In order to assist PCC re-organisation, Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi has invited the PCC Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur to submit their resignations," he stated.

Mr Sidhu drew criticism for hailing the people of Punjab for making a "great" decision to usher in change by electing the Aam Aadmi Party to power in his first media appearance after the party's defeat.

When questioned how he can say that as the president of Congress, he stated that the people have chosen change and they are never wrong. "The people's voice is the voice of God. We must accept it with humility and bow before it "he stated

The Congress, which was considered as a significant competitor in what was expected to be a heated multi-cornered struggle in the state assembly elections, was thrashed by the AAP, which won 92 of the total 117 seats. In comparison to the 2017 elections, the grand old party witnessed a significant drop in vote share, with the Congress Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi losing both of the seats he stood for.

Mr. Sidhu himself was defeated by Jeevanjyot Kaur of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Amritsar East by a margin of over 6,000 votes. Ms Kaur received 39,520 votes, while he received 32,929 votes.

The party's vote setback is being blamed on months of infighting between Mr. Sidhu and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, which resulted in the latter's unceremonious departure and the appointment of Mr. Channi as Chief Minister just months before the polls.

While the Congress blamed Captain Singh's 4.5 years as the state's top executive on anti-incumbency, the dissident Congress veteran slammed the top leadership, saying they "will never learn."

"The leadership of @INCIndia will never learn!"

Who is to blame for the Congress' dismal defeat in Uttar Pradesh? What about Manipur, Goa, and Uttrakhand, for example?

The answer is written on the wall in BOLD LETTERS, but I'm guessing they won't read it "Captain Singh had sent out a tweet.

The setback has sparked a new round of dissent inside the Punjab Congress. Sunil Jakhar, a senior party leader, blamed the party's devastating defeat in the state on Charanjit Singh Channi's appointment, claiming that the Chief Minister was discovered with his "hand in the till" when he was brought in to combat corruption perceptions.

"I don't want them to make the same mistake twice. The way he was portrayed as a hero - as a man who was apprehended with his hand in the till. Chaal, chalan, and charitra are required for a leader (good conduct, integrity, character). There isn't a single thing about him that inspires confidence. Do you want to make him a hero or a mascot? I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in him "In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Jakhar blasted the outgoing Chief Minister.

He went on to say, "The Congress worker in Punjab deserves better."

Aside from Punjab, the Congress failed to mount a credible challenge to the BJP in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.