Channi in Delhi to discuss Cabinet expansion; Sidhu tags along ‘in line of duty’
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, his two deputies and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu took a chartered flight to Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the expansion of the new Cabinet with the party’s central leadership, sources said.
Sidhu uploaded a photo on Twitter showing him with Channi and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, one of the two deputy chief ministers, beside a chartered plane. In line of duty !! he tweeted.
Channi, Randhawa and the other deputy chief minister, OP Soni, were sworn in on Monday, two days after Amarinder Singh resigned as chief minister of the pollbound state. After hectic consultations, the party had picked Channi as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. Sources said the Cabinet is likely to see the induction of fresh faces after the Delhi meeting, where the probable candidates will be discussed.
There are indications that those who rallied behind Navjot Sidhu in the power tussle with Amarinder Singh will find a place in the new Cabinet. The names of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Pargat Singh and Sangat Singh Gilzian are doing the rounds.
Pargat Singh is the state general secretary and Gilzian is a working president of party’s state unit. There is speculation whether Amarinder Singh- loyalists -- Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who was sports minister, and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, who held social justice ministry -would retain their positions.
Channi himself was part of the group of ministers who constantly targeted Amarinder, making it clear that they were part of Sidhu camp.