Captain Amarinder Singh Breaks Silence on Sidhu’s Resignation, Says Has no Issues With Him

The CM said, "I have no issues with him, In fact, I had given him a very important portfolio after the reshuffle. It was his decision to quit the Cabinet."

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday broke his silence over party colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu’s resignation from the Cabinet. He said he had no issues with the cricketer-turned-politician.

“I have no issues with him, In fact, I had given him a very important portfolio after the reshuffle. It was his decision to quit the Cabinet. I have been told that he has sent the letter to my office, will go through it and then see what is to be done,” said Captain.

Only hours ago, Sidhu had It was only hours before that that Sidhu had said he had sent his resignation letter to the CM. He tweeted, “Today I have sent my resignation to the Chief Minister Punjab, has been delivered at his official residence…”

Brushing aside reports of his possible rift with Sidhu that led to the latter’s resignation, the Chief Minister said, “I have never opposed Mrs Sidhu, in fact, I was the one who recommended to Rahul Ji that she contests from Bathinda. It was Sidhu who said that his wife will not contest from Bathinda but from Chandigarh. It was not for him to decide this, the party decides these things.”

In his one-line note, addressed to Rahul and dated June 10, Sidhu said, “I hereby resign as Minister from Punjab Cabinet.”

There has been a rift between the Congress MP and Captain from the time the former went to Islamabad for the swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. The 55-year-old had, in June, blamed the governmental department in Punjab for ‘inept handling’ that caused the Congress’ poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls this year.

Sidhu’s resignation should put to rest allegations by the BJP that the Congress leader was enjoying all the perks of being a minister without doing a day’s work. BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh had written to Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore expressing concern over Sidhu’s disappearance from state affairs, seeking intervention in the crisis-like situation.