Highlights: Navjot Singh Takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister
Navjot Singh Sidhu took oath as Deputy Chief Minister today, along with Amarinder Singh who was sworn in as Punjab’s New Chief Minister.
Punjab was the Congress’ consolation prize in the recent assembly elections.
Today Captain Amarinder Singh was sworn in along with his Nine cabinet ministers at the Punjab Raj Bhawan. Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi and Former Prime minister Manmohan Singh were present at the venue.
Four-time lawmaker Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, and the state’s richest legislator Rana Gurjit Singh will also be ministers.
The cabinet team will also include Manpreet Singh Badal, who is the nephew of outgoing chief minister Prakash Singh Badal.
The leader of the Congress legislature party Charanjit Singh Channi and Nabha legislator Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, both Dalit leaders, also took oath.
The Congress has said the swearing-in ceremony today will be a “low-key” affair, with the Captain underlining the financial crisis that he has inherited from the previous Akali Dal-BJP government.
Captain Amarinder said, “We do not want to celebrate when the people of Punjab are suffering due to severe financial and other problems”.
He had also made clear that Rahul Gandhi, not he would decide Mr Sidhu’s role.
The Congress won 77 of Punjab’s 117 seats, with the Aam Aadmi Party winning 20 and the Akali Dal BJP winning 15.