Three senior Cong MLAs quit Vidhan Sabha committees

Three senior Congress MLAs resigned from Punjab Vidhan Sabha committees today upset at being "ignored" in the state Cabinet expansion which took place last month.

Former minister Rakesh Pandey, MLA from Ludhiana (North), Randeep Singh Nabha, legislator from Amloh, and Amrik Singh Dhillon, MLA from Samrala, tendered their resignations from the panels as a mark of protest.

They submitted their resignations to Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh.

Pandey and Nabha were nominated as chairman and member of Committee on public undertakings respectively while Dhillon was appointed the chairman of the library committee on May 7.

We have tendered our resignations from the Vidhan Sabha committee to the Speaker here today, said six-time MLA Pandey.

"My seniority has been ignored when the cabinet expansion took place. I am a six-time MLA and have worked for the party," he said.

Pandey, a former printing and stationery minister, described his resignation as a mark of protest over the denial of a ministerial berth.

Dhillon, a four-time MLA, shared similar views.

"What will we do with the chairmanship (of Vidhan Sabha Committee)," he asked terming the denial of a ministerial berth as "injustice" to senior legislators.

Dhillon accused the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of not following what he had said. "The CM promised to consider seniority in giving ministerial berths. But one-time and two time MLAs have been chosen over us," he said.

We will continue to work as MLAs for the welfare of people, said Dhillon.

Nabha, a four-time MLA , said he was "hurt" over seniority being overlooked.

Protesting MLAs said they will reach out to the party high command to convey their concerns.

Last month's cabinet expansion had caused heartburn among several Congress MLAs.

Surjit Singh Dhiman MLA from Amargarh in Sangrur district, Nathu Ram, legislator from Balluana in Fazilka and MLA Sangat Singh Gilzian MLA from Urmur seat in Hoshiarpur had resigned from their party positions claiming Dalit and Backward classes had been ignored in the cabinet expansion.

The resentment within Punjab Congress unit over the cabinet expansion had even reached Delhi last month when Dalit leader and MLA Raj Kumar Verka expressed "anguish" over not giving representation to the Scheduled Caste community in the cabinet.

Nine Cabinet ministers of the Captain Amarinder Singh led Punjab government had taken oath last month.