Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is facing criticism from all quarters for his defiant attitude and not taking over the charge of Power Department even over a month after he was given the responsibility.
Under attack of the opposition parties besides the farmers and the common man, Sidhu is also on target of his own party colleagues who has been in a standoff with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
After Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu appealed the former cricketer to join his new department, another Cabinet Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa has slammed Sidhu asking him to either step down or join the new portfolio.
“I wish and I request Sidhu ji to take charge of the ministry. If he doesn't want to take charge, then he should decide,” said the state Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa while talking with a television channel.
Bajwa said that he had met the Sidhu a day before and requested him to take charge. “I told him that is you're not going to take the charge, then he should take a decision,” said Bajwa, adding, “Sidhu saab should join. He is a wise man. He should contribute to the department which is of the utmost importance”.
Notably, even after over a month Capt Amarinder divested Sidhu of the Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Departments while handed over the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry, Sidhu is yet to take charge of his new Ministry causing discontent within the party ranks with the opposition targeting the party and the government.
The fissures between Sidhu and Capt Amarinder came out in open after the latter accused the former of being a non-performer as Local Goverment Minister which led to the party’s “not-so-good” performance in the urban pockets if the state during Lok Sabah elections.
Hitting back, Sidhu switched into a rebel mode accusing his critics of “unfairly singling him out publicly”. While boycotting all government and party meetings, Sidhu held series of press briefings to defend himself.
After Capt Amarinder carried out the massive Cabinet reshuffle exercise, Sidhu met the party president Rahul Gandhi, apprising him of the situation, who asked the Congress’ veteran leader Ahmed Patel to resolve the issue between the two.
Patel, who was present during Sidhu’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi, had later met Capt Amarinder, and also a delegation of state Cabinet Ministers over the issue. However, no decision has yet been taken on the same.
While Capt Amarinder had already made clear his intentions of not changing his stand on handing over Power Ministry to Sidhu while divesting him of Local Government, the Cabinet Ministers had complained against Sidhu’s style of working and functioning of his previous two departments — Local Government and Tourism.
Three Cabinet Ministers, Brahm Mohindra, Charanjit Singh Channi, and Bharat Bhushan Ashu along with the Chief Minister’s political advisor Capt Sandeep Sandhu, had met Patel in the national capital past week, and given enough “material” against Sidhu — both as the party worker and as minister.
It has been learnt that Sidhu had been asked by the central leadership to “continue” his work, but the former MP is adamant on retaining his previous department or handing over a “big responsibility”.
Notably, the Cabinet reshuffle was done on June 6, and till date, Sidhu had been missing from the scene. His absence, as Power Minister, is conspicuous in the wake of rising power demand in the State.
In Sidhu’s absence, Capt Amarinder had convened meetings of the Power Department to take some significant decisions.
The farmers and the common man are suffering, resorting to protests in the wake of unscheduled power cuts.
On the other hand, Sidhu’s absence has given enough ammunition to the rival political parties. BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, a day before, sought Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore’s intervention to get the “constitutional crisis” arising out of Sidhu’s long absence.
He pointed that since the Minister has gone ‘underground’ and is incommunicado and has willfully chosen not to take charge of his new assignment, the work related to his department was suffering like anything.
Chugh pointed out that Sidhu was enjoying all the perks and facilities of a Cabinet Minister but was reluctant to serve and as such was behaving in a manner which was not expected of a Minister whose department requires his attention the most at this time.
Earlier, state’s principal opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is holding state-wide Bijli Andolan against power situation in the state, has termed Sidhu's absence as unfortunate while appealing the Minister to assume charge.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had demanded Sidhu’s removal from the Cabinet.