New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder
Singh today accepted the resignation of Power and Irrigation
Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who had come under fire from the
opposition for his alleged involvement in sand mining
auctions.
Amarinder said he discussed the issue of resignation,
which the minister had submitted 10 days ago, with Congress
president Rahul Gandhi today and then decided to accept the
same.
"The resignation of Rana Gurjit Singh has been accepted,"
he told reporters here after his meeting with Gandhi.
The chief minister said he would be now forward the
resignation to the governor for necessary action.
Amarinder said he also discussed with the party chief the
issue of reorganising the Punjab Congress as also the
expansion of his Cabinet.
Gurjit Singh, an MLA from Kapurthala, in his resignation
letter, said though he was 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 resign in the
interest of the party.
He had tendered his resignation after being accused of
illegally bagging sand mining contracts. It was alleged that
he acquired sand and gravel mining contracts through "benami
transactions in the names of his cook and office staff".
The chief minister said a restructuring of the Punjab
unit of the party, especially in the context of the 2019 Lok
Sabha elections, would take place soon.
He said the expansion of his Cabinet would take place
after the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation polls.
The new appointments would be a mix of youth and talent,
with merit being the key criteria in the selection of the new
ministers, he said.
Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and AICC Secretary
incharge of the state Asha kumari and party secretary Harish
Chaudhry were also present at the meeting of the chief
minister with Gandhi.
PTI
