Navjot Singh Sidhu has his way, CM announces top law officer’s exit

CHANDIGARH: Less than a week after taking back his resignation as Punjab Congress chief, Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday appeared to have his way on key appointments as CM Charanjit Singh Channi announced the cabinet’s decision to accept advocate general A P S Deol’s resignation and also name a replacement for officiating DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota soon.
Sidhu joined the CM at the presser in which he made the twin announcements, marking the first sign of bonhomie between the two after weeks of attritional moves on either side. “You know that the AG resigned some days ago. Today, the cabinet accepted his resignation. It is being sent to the governor for approval, and if it is given the go-ahead today, a new AG will be appointed tomorrow. A panel of senior police officers with over 30 years of experience has already been sent to the Centre as part of the process to select a new DGP,” Channi said.
Sidhu, who had been had been objecting to Deol’s appointment as AG and Sahota being made the officiating DGP, said, “I will extend 110 per cent cooperation to the chief minister on behalf of the party.” “For me, it was not a personal fight,” he added. It remains to be seen if Sidhu’s choice of candidates for the posts of AG and DGP gets the cabinet’s nod.