CHANDIGARH (TIP): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has accepted the resignation of power and irrigation minister Rana Gurjit Singh on Jan 18 following a meeting with AICC president Rahul Gandhi.

Rana Gurjit had submitted his resignation to Amarinder a few days ago. But the CM had not accepted it. He had left it to Rahul to take a call. The decision to accept the resignation was taken after a thorough discussion on the issue during a meeting of CM and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi today morning.

While sources said Amarinder was still backing his loyalist, Rahul and other leaders in the meeting are learnt to have prevailed upon the CM. PPCC President Sunil Jakhar, General Secretary Incharge Asha Kumari and AICC Secretary Harish Choudhary were also a part of the meeting.

Rana Gurjit was caught up in a controversy related to sand mine auction in May. His two ex employees had bagged sand mines in the first ever auction done by the Congress-led government. Then CM had then ordered a probe Justice JS Narang (retd) into the case. The commission had however given Rana a clean chit.