Cloud over Badal Sr,son soaks in the sun

On the matter of ministers though,the Deputy CM must be having a quiet chuckle. In six months,three ministers have had to resign. All three — Gulzar Singh Ranike,Tota Singh and Jagir Kaur — owed their loyalty and posts to CM Parkash Badal. When he inducted some of those facing cases in his Cabinet following the Akali Dal-BJP’s surprising poll win,it was a bid to keep the old guard of the party,dominated by jathedars and hardliners,happy. Plum posts were deliberately kept away from the cronies and young turks pledging loyalty to Sukhbir. The fact that these berths continue to be vacant shows Badal Sr’s dilemma. So while the strength of his Cabinet is down to 15,young MLAs,many of them first-timers,are being accommodated as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries.

The number of these CPS,who enjoy the pay and perks of a Cabinet minister,is now up to a record 21.

Ranike’s exit has also changed the old guard-versus-new dynamics in the Majha region,where Sukhbir’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia,the Revenue Minister,is now the undisputed party stalwart. Ranike’s supporters have claimed that Majithia built pressure to ensure the resignation of Ranike.

Earlier this year,Majithia had an open spat with BJP MP Navjot Sidhu,who accused the former of not following the coalition dharma,leading to defeat of BJP candidates in Amritsar civic polls. Sukhbir was more than happy letting the tension simmer. It fit in neatly with his plans of going it alone in Punjab,shedding the NDA umbrella and its long-lasting jathedar image.

sukhdeep.kaur@expressindia.com