Navjot Singh Sidhu offered low-profile local bodies ministry by Amarinder Singh

If the report is true, it is a huge setback for the cricketer-turned-politician who had hoped that he will be suitably rewarded for joining the Congress.

Chandigarh: Navjot Singh Sidhu may have touched the feet of Punjab boss Amarinder Singh after taking oath as a Cabinet minister in the new government but his effort seems to have cut no ice with the leadership of the Congress in the state.

Sidhu – who had aimed to become the Deputy CM but was made only a cabinet minister – has been alloted local government, tourism and cultural affairs, archives and Museums ministry in the Amarinder government.

Sidhu will get office on the fourth floor of the Punjab secretariat and not on the all-important fourth floor where the CM and all senior ministers have their offices.

Undoubtedly it is a huge setback for the cricketer-turned-politician who had hoped that he will be suitably rewarded for joining the Congress after resigning as BJP's Rajya Sabha MP.

Interestingly, after Sidhu had left the BJP, there were reports that he will join the Aam Aadmi Paty (AAP). However, the talks, reportedly, felt through as the AAP was not in favour of acceding to his demand to be made the CM candidate.

Arvind Kejriwal had himself come on record to claim that Sidhu wanted to be CM but was offered the post of Deputy CM.