30 of 44 MLAs go with Sonia, refuse to back Amritsar MP Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Turmoil within the Punjab Congress peaked on Wednesday when 30 of its 44 MLAs signed a resolution saying they will not join a new political outfit launched by any leader. "Congress legislature party unanimously resolves that the news in the media that some Congress MLAs are forming a separate party is mischievously planted... to weaken Congress," the resolution says. "The entire CLP is united under the leadership of the high command and pledge to fight the political terror of the Akali DalBJP government in one voice and unitedly."

The MLAs have chosen to go with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi just two days after Amritsar MP Amarinder Singh hinted at going solo in the 2017 assembly election in an interview to TOI. The former CM and deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha said no one cared for Punjab.

The 30 legislators went in to an impromptu huddle in the middle of the assembly ses sion, including pro minent legislators like Amritsar West MLA and National Scheduled Caste Commission VC Raj Verka and others. Kumar Verka and others.

Amarinder has never clearly said that he intends to break away from the Congress. But Punjab Congress chief Partap Bajwa had released a statement after the interview that Amarinder planned to launch the Punjab Vikas Party by April.