CM for action against ‘non-performer’ Sidhu
Friday, 24/05/2019
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/cm-for-action-against-non-performer-sidhu/777391.html
Chandigarh : Days after Navjot Singh Sidhu’s “friendly match” jibe, aimed at Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the latter today termed him “non-performer, who is unable to run his own department”.
“As a minister, Sidhu’s own performance needed to be reviewed,” he said. He added that Sidhu had not been able to handle his department well, as a result the party performed poorly in urban areas. He would soon take up with the high command the issue of Sidhu’s damaging remarks ahead of polling.
The Chief Minister said he intended to change Sidhu’s portfolio. Pointing out that he had raised the issue some months ago with the party high command, but it had been agreed to take any decision in the matter after the Lok Sabha elections. He said he was confident that not just Rahul Gandhi, but also Priyanka, who was believed to have a soft corner for Sidhu, would agree in the interest of the state and to strengthen the party.
However, sources did not rule out the possibility of dropping Sidhu in the next Cabinet reshuffle.
Pointing to the controversial visit of Sidhu to Pakistan for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, the Chief Minister said, “ Sidhu’s ‘yari and jhappi’ (friendship and hugs) with the Pakistan army chief will not be tolerated, especially by Army personnel, who were being killed by ISI-backed terrorists, while he was hugging their leaders.”
Ministers’ fate
A section of Cong leaders is asking about the fate of several ministers — Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Manpreet Badal, Sunder Shyam Arora, Aruna Chaudhary, Vijay Inder Singla, Speaker Rana KP Singh and Deputy Speaker Ajaib Singh Bhatti. They all represent Assembly segments where the party has fared poorly. The CM had announced to drop the ministers who failed to perform well in the polls.The CM said the performance of the ministers would be reviewed in the backdrop of the poll results.
