The Punjab Government is vacationing in foreign locales, literally. And when the bosses are away, its holiday time for the staff also.
With Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy son Sukhbir Badal, and three of its Ministers taking personal trips abroad, almost one-third of the Punjab Government will remain absent at least for this week, with the State Civil Secretariat wearing a deserted look.
Other than Badals, who have left for England to take part in their private event, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon and Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia will also join them. Besides, Industries Minister Anil Joshi has left for Australia with his family.
With the top bosses out of town, the work has taken a hit in the State with other Ministers, bureaucrats, and the office staff also entering the holidaying mood. In fact, a good number of officers did not report for work, particularly in the morning hours. Besides meetings by some of the top officers, a little activity was witnessed in the Secretariat with empty seats at different sections on different floors.
Interestingly, the Chief Minister, before leaving, has not even given the authority of decision-making in his absence, besides that of the Deputy Chief Minister. Notably, local Bodies Minister Chunni lal Bhagat succeeds Deputy Chief Minister with him being the senior-most Minister in the Cabinet, and the leader of BJP legislative party.
The senior Badal is expected to return on June 22, as he was scheduled to attend the rally at Madhopur, organised by the Bharatiya Janta Party to be addressed by Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's campaign committee chairman Narendra Modi on June 23.
His son-in-law Kairon is expected to return on June 20, while Sukhbir and his brother-in-law are likely to return on June 30 together. Joshi would probably return from Australia after June 24.