CM must formally take over Power, Medical Education

Saturday, 22/06/2019

https://www.brightpunjabexpress.com/index.php/2019/06/21/cm-must-formally-take-over-power-medical-education/

CHANDIGRAH : With Navjot Singh Sidhu and Om Prakash Soni refusing to join their new ministries even after two weeks of the cabinet reshuffle, it is high time that the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh either formally takes the charge of the two ministries himself or allocates these two important portfolios to others.

It is about two weeks since the Chief Minister reshuffled his ministry. While most of the ministers have taken charge of their new departments, dissidents including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Om Parkash Soni have still not joined their new assignments.

Sidhu was allotted the all important power ministry after being relieved of the Local Bodies, while Soni was appointed the Minister for Medical Education after being relieved of the School Education.

While the ministers are within their right to express displeasure and disappointment over their displacements, like many others did but joined later, the continued absence and abstinence from their offices amounts to rebellion. Besides, the working of the concerned departments also suffers badly.

Month of June is the most crucial time for the power department as the paddy transplantation season is at its peak. Leaving such an important department ‘headless’ at such an important time reflects bad on the government.

Under the normal practice, any department that has no minister of its own straightway comes under the Chief Minister. However, the Power and Medical Education departments currently do not fall under such category as these departments as of now have two designated ministers.

Till the time the government does not formally withdraw the ministerial charge from the ministers and intimates it to the Governor and gets his approval, they remain the ministers and the heads of those departments.  With both of them not showing any interest or inclination to join, the ministries remain headless.

The Chief Minister will need to write to the Governor to withdraw their charges and take over it himself or assign it to some other legislators waiting to be appointed as ministers.

While Sidhu is waiting for the party high command to take a call on the issue, there is nothing much that can be expected which may redeem his prestige. It is practically impossible for the high command to even suggest Capt Amarinder to review his decision, leave aside asking him to return Sidhu’s portfolio of Local Bodies.

Soni, on the other hand, may be coaxed and cajoled to join after being offered some extra and additional department that may be more effective and engaging. He also appears to be waiting as what decision the party and the Chief Minister may take about Sidhu. Both of them have very limited options.

The Chief Minister is supposed to visit Delhi next week where he has a hectic schedule of meetings with the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Surface Transport Minister and others. There is no meeting scheduled with the Congress president Rahul Gandhi or the general secretary Ahmed Patel. This leaves not much scope for the uncertainty over Sidhu getting resolved in immediate future.