Ambika Soni declines Punjab CM post, says "must be Sikh leader"

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Ambika Soni has declined the offer to become Punjab’s next Chief Minister following Captain Amarinder Singh's resignation from the position.

Soni declined the offer at a late-night meeting with her party colleague Rahul Gandhi.

As per reports, Ms Soni made it clear that not having a Sikh CM face will have “ramifications”.

According to reports, the former President of Congress Rahul Gandhi had a late-night meeting with party leaders where Ambika Soni was also present. A discussion on New Chief Minister and strategy to pacify Amarinder Singh was discussed. Since Soni hails from Punjab, the top leadership wanted her to become Chief Minister till the elections.

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Reports further state that the party wants to project a non-Sikh face to counter the growth of AAP and a Sikh face as the party president.

The Congress's three political observers for Punjab are meeting with every MLA to get their views on the matter, and the three will report back to the party high command for a decision on who would be the next Chief Minister.

"A meeting of MLAs was held with Harish Rawat and Ajay Maken yesterday. A resolution was passed that Sonia Gandhi's decision will be final on this matter. Today, you will get to know her decision," said Punjab Congress working president Pawan Goel.

Speaking to the media on Saturday Captain Amarinder Singh ruled out accepting Navjot Singh Sidhu as his successor. "Navjot Singh Sidhu is an incompetent man. He was a total disaster in my government. He couldn't run one ministry I gave him. He did not clear files for seven months."

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