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Ahead of Amarinder Singh's resignation as Punjab chief minister on Saturday, over 50 Congress legislators from Punjab had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi seeking his replacement, highly placed party sources said.
The MLAs in their letter to Gandhi also sought the convening of the CLP meeting at the Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh, which was convened on Saturday evening soon after Singh's resignation.
As crisis intensified once again in the Punjab unit of the party -- riven by differences between Amarinder and Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu -- the former CM also reportedly spoke to Sonia Gandhi and 'expressed his anguish over his repeated humiliation'.
In an interview to ANI after tendering his resignation, Amarinder said he had called the party chief in the morning to convey his decision to resign.
Asked what did she say, Amarinder said: "She said sorry Amarinder"
Sources in New Delhi said the latest crisis in the state was 'serious' with so many MLAs seeking the chief minister's replacement just a few months ahead of assembly elections.
The high command had deputed senior party leaders Ajay Maken and Harish Chaudhary as central observers.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for Punjab affairs of the party Harish Rawat was also be present during the CLP meeting.
Ahead of Amarinder's resignation, sources said if the MLAs insist on their demand, the change in leadership might happen at the CLP meeting itself.
The Congress has 80 MLAs in the 117-member state assembly.
Last month, four ministers and around two dozen party legislators had raised the banner of revolt against the Punjab CM and said they had no faith in Amarinder Singh's ability to honour unfulfilled promises.
-- with inputs from PTI and ANI