Captain hits back, strips Sidhu of local bodies portfolio

Amritsar, June 06: Hours after he skipped the Cabinet meeting, Navjot Singh Sidhu has been stripped of his local bodies portfolio by Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Sigh.

Minutes before Singh advised the Governor to divest Sidhu of his most important portfolio, he had said that he cannot be taken for granted and he is answerable to the people of Punjab. Singh will now handle the portfolio himself.

Sidhu however continues to remain a Cabinet minister and still has the tourism and culture ministry under his charge.

The CM it may be recalled had blamed Sidhu for his remarks on Pakistan and his inept handling of local bodies department for the party's poor perfjoamcne in the urban areas. He had said that he intended changing the portfolio.

Sidhu has accused Singh of unfairly signing him out for the poor show of the Congress in some urban areas. Sidhu has been at loggerheads ever since his wife Navjot Kaur was denied a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections.