Punjab: Amrinder-Sidhu tussle escalates; Minister refuses to join new department allotted by CM

The rejig took place hours after the first state Cabinet meeting following the Lok Sabha elections and it was skipped by the minister who is under fire from Singh for Congress's "poor performance" in the state's urban areas in the elections.

Navjot Singh Sidhu

Chandigarh: The ongoing tussle between Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh and his cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu escalated on Friday when the latter refused to join the new department allotted to him after being divested of crucial Local government department. Expressing his resentment, Sidhu, who was supposed to resume his new position on Friday, didn't take charge of his office. Sidhu was in turn given the Power and New and Renewable Energy Sources portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle, amid differences between the Congress leaders. The rejig took place hours after the first state Cabinet meeting following the Lok Sabha elections and it was skipped by the minister who is under fire from Singh for Congress's "poor performance" in the state's urban areas in the elections. Singh had recently said he intended to change the cricketer-turned-politician's portfolio and blamed Navjot Sidhu's inept handling of the department for the Congress performance in the urban areas. Barring four ministers, there are some changes in the portfolios of all the others as a result of the reallocation, according to an official statement. Singh, who changed the portfolios of most of his ministers, said this will help further streamline the government and bring more transparency and efficiency in the functioning of departments. With the Congress government in the state nearing its mid-term mark, he hoped that the exercise will re-energise his team and bring freshness into the working of major departments. The list of portfolios was sent to Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore for reallocation by Singh earlier in the day.The Punjab cabinet has 18 ministers, including the chief minister. Singh, who had hinted at a reshuffle after the completion of the poll process, has allocated the Local Government department to his senior-most colleague Brahm Mohindra. Navjot Sidhu has been given Power and New and Renewable Energy Sources, and his Tourism and Cultural Affairs portfolio has been given to Charanjit Singh Channi, as per the statement. However, Navjot Sidhu Thursday said he has always been a "performer" and claimed that urban areas had played a pivotal role in the party's victory in Punjab. "I cannot be taken for granted. I have been a performer throughout in 40 years of my life be it international cricket, or world class commentary with Geoffrey Boycott, TV shows or 1,300 motivational talks," he said, adding that his department has been been "singled out".