Punjab: Navjot Singh Sidhu to take charge of Local Government, Tourism & Cultural Affairs Ministry

It was previously speculated that Sidhu would be made the deputy chief minister.

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | Updated: March 16, 2017 06:47 PM IST

1 min read

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Cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who took oath as a cabinet minister in Captain Amarinder Singh’s government Thursday, was given the portfolios of Local Government and Tourism & Culture Affairs. Manpreet Badal was given the Finance, Planning & Employment Generation portfolio, reported ANI. It was previously speculated that Sidhu would be made the deputy chief minister.

Earlier today, Sidhu, along with Manpreet Singh Badal, Razia Sultana, Aruna Chaudhary, Rana Gurjit Singh and Brahm Mohindra, were administered oath by the Punjab Governor in the presence of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Sidhu, who is from the Malwa region in Punjab, touched Singh’s feet after taking oath, as a mark of respect.

The Congress won 77 seats in the recently-concluded Punjab Assembly elections, while the Aam Admi Party (AAP) bagged 20, and the incumbent Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) alliance got 18. Prior to the polls, Sidhu left the BJP for Congress.

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