The Congress averted yet another crisis in Punjab as the State Cabinet accepted the resignation of Advocate General APS Deol on Tuesday.

PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu who had resigned previously, withdrew his resignation last Friday on the condition that Deol should be removed if the party and the Government wants him to resume work as State Congress chief.

Sidhu had alleged that Deol had defended two senior cops involved in 2015 police firing against a group of Sikhs protesting sacrilege of the holy text.

Deol, however, had denied the allegations and said Sidhu is interfering in the governance and administration of Punjab. Deol had submitted his resignation about a week ago.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the new AG will be appointed on Wednesday. Talking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Channi said Deol had resigned some days ago.

“Tomorrow, the new AG will be appointed,” Channi said. The Congress high command had also intervened to placate Sidhu. The Congress is facing tough organisational and political challenges in the election-bound State after the decision of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to form a new party. The sacrilege issue is being used by the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party to attack the Congress and its predecessor Shiromani Akali Dal Governments. But the Congress is hoping for a come back based on the protests of farmers demanding the Centre withdraw its farm reform laws.

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