Dy CM post eludes Navjot Singh Sidhu, sworn-in as cabinet minister in Amarinder govt

`No point in creating multiple power centers in Punjab,` says Amarinder.

Chandigarah: Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu took oath as a cabinet minister in the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab.

Sidhu, who had left the BJP last year, amid indications that he will be joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but the talks fell through after he reportedly demanded that he be made named as the CM candidate.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal later confirmed that Sidhu wanted to be the CM candidate but was offered Dy CM post by the party.

Later, Sidhu joined the Congress ahead of the assembly polls.

Ever since the Congress trounced the SAD-BJP combine and AAP to emerge victorious, speculation was rife that Sidhu will become the Deputy CM of the state.

However, hours before the swearing-in ceremony, Amarinder made it clear that the party had no intention to anoint someone as Deputy CM.

“No point in creating multiple power centers in Punjab,” he said.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Sidhu was the third to take the oath of office and secrecy after Amarinder Singh and senior Congress leader Brahm Mohindra.

The others who took oath as cabinet ministers included former Akali finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, four-time MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, and Punjab’s wealthiest MLA Rana Gurjit Singh. Congress Legislate Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi and Nabha MLA Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.

Two women MLAs, Aruna Chaudhary and Razia Sultana, took oath as ministers of state.