Sidhu belongs to Patiala but has been away from the city for 15 years when he got elected as MP from Amritsar. (Express Photo: Kamleshwar Singh)Two days after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh accepted Navjot Singh Sidhu’s resignation from the Cabinet, Sidhu continued to lie low. Sources close to him said he was at his residence in Amritsar and was in “high spirits.” They also said he had decided to make his residence in Patiala also functional and create some ripples in the city.
“He will be operating both from Amritsar as well as Patiala. He has his residence at both the places. He will start meeting people in both the cities,” said an aide of Sidhu on anonymity.
His setting up a house in Patiala holds importance as Chief Minister and Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra both belong to Patiala. While Amarinder is an MLA from Patiala (Urban) Mohindra is an MLA from Patiala (Urban).
Sidhu also belongs to Patiala but has been away from the city for 15 years when he got elected as MP from Amritsar.
“He is not talking to anyone yet. But he is very happy that the Chief Minister has brought Harpreet Singh Sidhu back as chief of STF on drugs,” said his aide.
He added that his supporters were of the view that his resignation was the need of the hour as his confrontation with the Chief Minister would have only worsened.
While most of the senior party leaders are staying away from commenting on Sidhu, several local Ludhiana based leaders issued a press statement “appreciating the resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu as it will be in the favour of state and people as Sidhu anyway focused more on comedy.”
Pawan Dewan, PPCC general secretary and an aide of Ananadpur Sahib MP, Manish Tewari said in the statement that the CM has full authority to assign and change the departments allotted to various ministers.
