Sidhu’s resignation being ‘accepted’ today
Wednesday, 17/07/2019
https://www.brightpunjabexpress.com/index.php/2019/07/16/sidhus-resignation-being-accepted-today/
CHANDIGARH : Power Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s resignation is likely to be accepted on Wednesday after the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh returns from Delhi. The Chief Minister is likely to forward the resignation to the Governor same day with a recommendation that it may be accepted. The Chief Minister dropped enough hints about the course of action vis-à-vis Sidhu’s resignation, in New Delhi today, when he remarked during a conversation with the media that he did not have a power minister. Otherwise, ‘technically’ Sidhu continues to be the Power Minister till his resignation is not accepted. But the Chief Minister has already cleared all doubts about that, by saying, Punjab did not have a power minister right now, with obvious reference to Sidhu. So far the Chief Minister has maintained that he had not seen Sidhu’s resignation letter, which, according to Sidhu, was delivered at his official residence in Chandigarh on Monday, while he (the CM) was away to Delhi for a meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, he will take further action on the matter after going through the resignation letter. The Chief Minister has been clear and categorical in conveying that Sidhu was not listening to him. He also said, when Sidhu was not interested to work what could he do. To top it all, he remarked during an informal conversation with the reporters that he did not have a power minister when he was asked about the government of India’s proposal to set up nuclear power plants in Punjab. After Sidhu tendered his resignation, first to the Congress president Rahul Gandhi and later to the Chief Minister, there were speculations in political circles whether it will be accepted or not. Given the hints the Chief Minister has been dropping, it leaves hardly any doubt that Sidhu will be formally bid the farewell on Wednesday after the Chief Minister returns from Delhi. The Chief Minister, accompanied by a team of senior officials including the Chief Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar, the Chief Secretary Karan Avatar Singh and the Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta, has been in Delhi for last three days. He met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday morning in the parliament and later the ministers for External Affairs, Water Resources and today the Union Health Minister and his party MPs from Punjab. Capt Amarinder, however, did not meet any of the Congress leaders during his Delhi visit as both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are said to be away. He had met Congress general secretary Ahmed Patel last time he was in Delhi. Moreover, given the fact that Rahul has already resigned it was unlikely that he may have taken up the issue of Sidhu’s resignation with Capt Amarinder. This leaves hardly any doubt that Capt Amarinder will have the absolute say in deciding about Sidhu’s fate. The Chief Minister is being supported by most of his senior cabinet colleagues including Brham Mohindra, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Charanjit Singh Channi and others who want him to accept Sidhu’s resignation to end the uncertainty about the fate of an important department that too when the power demand is at its peak in view of the paddy sowing and transplantation. It remains to be seen whether the Chief Minister will retain the power portfolio with himself, as he is already taking care of the department as of now, or allocates it to someone else. Sidhu’s exit creates one vacancy in cabinet with several claimants.
