CM rules out immediate cabinet reshuffle
Says Sidhu as the party chief and he as the CM were performing two different sets of responsibilities
SUNAM: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday ruled out the possibility of an immediate cabinet reshuffle and said his government has already implemented several steps from the 18-point agenda given by the Congress high command.
Amarinder also said his government had fulfilled 93% of the party’s promises made in the election manifesto.
After the party’s state unit revamp to quell factionalism, there was speculation about the possibility of a reshuffle in the cabinet. The party high command last month had also asked Amarinder to act on 18 issues including the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, drugs and power purchase agreements.
The CM was interacting with the media after inaugurating Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial in Sunam during a state-level function on the 82nd martyrdom of the freedom fighter.
He said that his government and party leadership would work unitedly towards steering the Congress to victory in the 2022 assembly elections.
Replying to a question about two power centres in the Congress, the CM said there was nothing unusual as Navjot Singh Sidhu in the capacity of the Punjab Congress chief and he as the chief minister are performing two different sets of responsibilities. Amarinder said he also remained the state Congress president thrice and knew well about the duties of the party chief. Moreover, the government and the party are two different entities having defined roles.
Will ask Centre to bring Udham Singh’s belongings back from England: Capt
While inaugurating the Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial in Sunam, the CM said articles belonging to the freedom fighter, including his pistol and diary, are still in England. “We will take up the matter with the ministry of external affairs to bring the articles back,” said Amarinder.
The memorial, which has a life-sized copper statue of Shaheed Udham Singh, has been constructed at Rs 6.4 crore, displaying relics, rare pictures, documents besides, an urn containing his ashes.
The CM also announced that the Punjab government will soon construct a memorial to unsung freedom fighters who laid down their lives in the Cellular Jail of Andaman during the freedom struggle.