Power situation precarious, can’t help if Sidhu doesn’t want to do his job: Capt

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 15

Talking about the resignation of his cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said he could not help if the power minister didn’t want to do his job.

Singh said he was told Sidhu had sent his resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday and delivered a copy to the CM residence in Chandigarh on Monday morning.

“I will have a look at the resignation once I return to Chandigarh in a day or two,” Singh said after paying a courtesy visit to PM Narendra Modi in Parliament on Monday.

Singh said the power situation of the state is very precarious.

“This is our most critical time--June to October--since it is the paddy season. Seventy per cent Punjab has received rains while 30 per cent hasn’t received even one shower. The power situation in the state is very bad and I daily receive reports on the power situation. This is the job of the power minister but if he doesn’t want to do it, I cannot help it,” said Amarinder.

Singh had changed Sidhu’s portfolio from local bodies to power in an early July state cabinet reshuffle.

Sidhu came to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi complaining that he had been singled out for punishment over non-performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

After waiting for almost a month, Sidhu resigned from the Punjab cabinet on Sunday protesting against the change of his ministry.