Punjab Cabinet reshuffle: Amid feud with Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu divested of local govt department, given charge of power portfolio

Chandigarh: Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was Thursday divested of the Local Government department and was given the Power and New and Renewable Energy portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle. [caption id=“attachment_3025344” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Navjot Singh Sidhu. PTI[/caption] The portfolio rejig took place hours after the first state Cabinet meeting following the Lok Sabha elections. Singh on Thursday evening rejigged the portfolios of most of his ministers. Sidhu’s tourism and cultural affairs portfolio was also taken away, as per an official statement. Barring four ministers, there are some changes in the portfolios of all the others as a result of the reallocation. The chief minister said this will help further streamline the government and bring more transparency and efficiency. The war between Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu spilt out in the open when the Local Bodies minister skipped a crucial post-election Cabinet meeting which was chaired by Amarinder. In an open rebellion against what appears to be most of the Congress’ Punjab unit, Sidhu declared to the media that him skipping the meet was a mark of his protest against being unfairly blamed for the Congress’ poor show.