Navjot Singh Sidhu gets a lifeline; sacked from local govt dept, allotted Energy portfolio

Chandigarh, June 7: After all the chaos and hustle created by bigmouth Navjot Singh Sidhu on his tiff with Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, the man still managed to get a portfolio in the reshuffling spectrum. Divesting Sidhu from the Local Government Department, he was given the Power and New and Renewable Energy portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle.

Alteration of the portfolios took place hours after the first state Cabinet meeting following the Lok Sabha elections. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on June 6 evening rejigged the portfolios of most of his ministers.

 

Sidhu's tourism and cultural affairs portfolio was also taken away. Excluding four ministers, there are some changes in the portfolios of all the others as a result of the reallocation. The chief minister said this will help further streamline the government and bring more transparency and efficiency.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sindhu came at loggerheads after the later hugged Pakistan Army Chief. CM Singh also added that Sidhu’s remarks on the violation of religious texts in 2015 had dented the grand old party’s poll prospects.

Amarinder Singh also blamed Sindhu on his remarks on Pakistan and his “inept” handling of local bodies department for the party’s poor performance in urban areas, announcing that he intended to change the minister’s portfolio. He had also taken him to task over his “friendly-match” remark during an election rally in Bathinda and questioned his performance as local bodies minister.