Sidhu has been allocated power and new & renewable energy resources. (PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh stripped his minister Navjot Singh Sidhu of the coveted local government portfolio as well as the tourism and cultural affairs ministry on Thursday, less than a month after the cricketer-turned-politician had publicly criticised his boss during the Lok Sabha poll campaign in the state.

Sidhu has been allocated power and new & renewable energy resources.

The cabinet reshuffle is set to escalate the war of words between the two leaders. Hours before the changed portfolios were announced in the evening, Sidhu chose to skip the cabinet meeting convened by the CM in the morning while stepping up his attack on Amarinder. “I cannot be taken for granted. I say that with all humility. I’ve been a performer throughout — be it cricket, commentary, television or as a motivational speaker,” he told media-persons.

Countering Amarinder’s criticism that it was Sidhu’s “failure to do development work” that had cost Congress the urban vote bank in places like Bathinda and Sangrur , the former cricketer released details to point out that cities and towns, in fact, had played a pivotal role in the party’s victory in Punjab. “Facts will not cease to exist just because they are ignored,” he said, adding that while in urban areas, Congress’s strike rate was 63%, in the rural areas it was 55%.

Amarinder has given the local government portfolio — which is coveted because of the huge budgets of local bodies — to Brahm Mohindra. Sidhu’s portfolio of tourism and cultural affairs has gone to Charanjit Singh Channi.

After the election results, Amarinder had indicated that he intended to change Sidhu’s department while blaming him for Congress’s patchy performance in urban centres.

Amarinder said the rejig would help streamline the government systems and processes and bring more transparency and efficacy into various departments. With the Congress government having almost completed half of its five-year tenure, the CM said he hoped that the changes would re-energise his team and bring freshness to the working of the major departments.



In Video: Navjot Singh Sidhu sacked as Punjab cabinet minister