Sidhu sulks, trains guns on CM; but not in cabinet meet
CHANDIGARH: Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was upset over not being invited to Tuesday’s mayoral polls in Amritsar, on Wednesday trained guns on Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
“I sign all the papers I get from the CM,” he said, while reacting to a query whether he had given his consent to the CM for making mayor of his (Amarinder’s) choice in Amritsar, he said.
On Wednesday, Sidhu came out of a day’s hiding in Amritsar and reached Chandigarh to chair a function of Swachh Bharat Mission organised by the department he heads. “It’s a sensitive matter, and I am hurt,” he repeated what he had said in Amritsar on Monday. He added that he was not consulted during the month-long process of making Amritsar mayor. Sources said Sidhu was eyeing the post for one of his favourites.
However ,there was notmuch reaction from the government and the ruling Congress.
But in the Wednesday’s meeting of the state council of ministers, Sidhu’s cabinet colleagues said, he behaved quite normal and sat next to the CM. “He was at his wittiest best, cracking jokes, and greeted other minis- ters,” said a cabinet minister. In the meeting, the cabinet passed 14 agendas and Sidhu actively participated in the discussion.
Another minister said, “It seems Sidhu has accepted the party’s decision to make Karamjit Singh Rintu as Amritsar mayor, and has resumed his routine work.” He added, “Sidhu’s behaviour of getting upset is seen as an act of a novice. He shouldn’t behave like this. If he had something, he should have met the CM or Rahul Gandhi.”
Asked if he had refused to open doors for rural development minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who reached his Amritsar residence on Tuesday, Sidhu replied, “He (Bajwa) came to meet me when I raised voice”. Bajwa was made in-charge of Amritsar mayoral polls.
But the issue that Sidhu has raised has a background.
When the Congress was in process of finalising candidates for the MC polls, Amarinder asked Sidhu to spare one ward for Dinesh Bassi, who was denied ticket from Amritsar East constituency in assembly polls of January 2017, to make Sidhu contest. But Sidhu refused to budge and gave the ward to one of his men .“Now when someone not chosen by him has been elected mayor, why so much noise?” asked a minister.