Sidhu quits Punjab cabinet over differences with CM Amarinder Singh

After a long tug-of-war with Punjab Chief Minister Aamrinder Singh, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday announced his exit from the Punjab state cabinet.

Sidhu made the disclosure as he posted his resignation letter, addressed to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on June 10, on this Twitter handle, on Sunday.

In his letter Sidhu wrote, "I hereby resign as Minister from Punjab Cabinet." In another post, Sidhu wrote that he would be sending his resignation letter to the chief minister.

Sidhu had been sulking after his portfolio was changed from Local Government, Tourism and Cultural Affairs to the Power and New & Renewable Energy on June 6 this year.

Capt. Amarinder Singh had changed his portfolio, along with other ministers in his cabinet. Unhappy over Amarinder Singh's decision, Sidhu did not take over the charge of his new ministry for over a month and finally quit from the state cabinet thus exposing his differences with the chief minister.

Sidhu had also met Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress veteran Ahmed Patel to convey his grievances. Ahmed Patel spoke with the Punjab chief minister at Rahul Gandhi’s behest, but Amarinder Singh is learnt to have told Patel that shuffling the cabinet was the prerogative of the chief minister.

Sidhu and Amarinder Singh have not been enjoying cordial relations for a long time now. In fact, the captain is said to have his reservations over accepting Sidhu into the Congress fold after the latter switched sides from the BJP.