NEW DELHI: With just around five months to go for the state assembly elections, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh today stepped down from his post amid calls for a change in state leadership. 

Singh tendered his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan and then addressed the media outside where he said that he had conveyed to party president Sonia Gandhi that he would resign if the party leadership wanted him to, although he felt humiliated.

"I had informed the Congress president today morning that I shall resign. There is a meeting of the MLAs happening for the third time in the past few months. I felt that there was an element of doubt upon me that I was not able to run the government or something. But I feel humiliated by the way talks transpired," Singh told reporters.

Singh said that the Congress MLAs were called to Delhi the previous two times and this is the third meeting that is being held in Chandigarh, further adding, "They can appoint somebody they trust." 

In a tweet, Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat had already announced on Friday that the meet will take place on Saturday, 18 September, at 5:00 pm.

Moments after Singh resigned, the Punjab Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meet began at the party office in Chandigarh with the party's Punjab observers Rawat, Ajay Maken and Harish Chaudhary in attendance. Except for Singh and one more legislator rest of the 80 MLA's were present in the meeting. 

There are several names being speculated for the post of the next CM, which include the name of Punjab Congress Chief Najyot Singh Sidhu and senior state Congress leader Sunil Jakhar. The name of former I&B Minister and Rajya Sabha member Ambika Soni is also being discussed for the CM post.

Praising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Jakhar earlier tweeted, "Kudos to Shri Rahul Gandhi for adopting Alexandrian solution to this Punjabi version of Gordian knot. Surprisingly, this bold leadership decision to resolve Punjab Congress imbroglio has not only enthralled Congress workers but has sent shudders down the spines of Akalis."