Current modifications within the Punjab authorities have led to allegations about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal taking part in a much bigger position within the functioning of the state administration, sidelining Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Earlier this week, the Cupboard’s transfer to clear the phrases of the appointment of a Chief Adviser to the CM additionally sparked hypothesis that Kejriwal wished his shut aide Bibhav Kumar, who’s dealing with prices of assaulting AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal and is out on bail, to be appointed to the put up and act as a liaison between him and the Punjab authorities. Whereas the Chief Minister’s Workplace (CMO) denied any such transfer, AAP insiders mentioned Kejriwal had “taken the motive force’s seat” to regular the ship and provoke course correction after the social gathering’s poor efficiency within the Lok Sabha elections within the state, profitable solely three of the 13 Lok Sabha seats.
The rejig had been due for the reason that parliamentary polls however occurred lastly after Kejriwal got here out of jail.
The hypothesis about Kumar’s appointment began Monday, when Kejriwal met the Punjab Cupboard ministers one-on-one in Delhi, reviewed their efficiency, and likewise set them targets for the following 12 months. Based on authorities insiders, the AAP chief advised the ministers he would monitor the work himself. That day, two extra CMO officers, administrators of communication Baltej Singh Pannu and Manpreet Kaur, had been eliminated. On Wednesday, Anurag Verma was changed by Ok A P Sinha was appointed Chief Secretary.
The hypothesis about Kejriwal taking extra curiosity within the social gathering’s affairs in Punjab has been rising as for weeks now there have been regular modifications within the authorities. First got here the Cupboard reshuffle on September 23 when the Bhagwant Mann authorities — the CM’s fourth since taking the reins of the state in 2022 — eliminated 4 ministers and inducted 5 contemporary faces. All 4 eliminated had been both below the cloud of controversies or had been dealing with anti-incumbency. However probably the most shocking was the elimination of the Officer on Particular Responsibility (OSD) to the CM, Onkar Singh. He’s Mann’s pal and was dealing with his Meeting constituency of Dhuri. Earlier this month, Mann’s Director of Communications Navneet Wadhwa was requested to submit his resignation, with AAP sources terming it “Operation Cleanup” after AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s launch from jail.
Hitting out on the AAP, Chief of the Opposition Partap Bajwa wrote on X on Wednesday, “As I’ve mentioned earlier than, @ArvindKejriwal takeover of Punjab’s governance is unfolding in plain sight. With Punjab ministers being summoned to Delhi and CM @BhagwantMann sidelined, Kejriwal’s management is now absolute. With two extra of Mann’s shut aides resigning, it’s evident that Punjab is below siege by Delhi-centric management. However the individuals of Punjab have by no means accepted being dictated to by Delhi, and so they received’t begin now.”
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Bikram Singh Majithia additionally focused the ruling social gathering, writing on X on Tuesday, “Who’s Arvind Kejriwal to provide instructions to Ministers in absence of Punjab CM? Does this imply @BhagwantMann has been utterly sidelined? Constitutional CM Punjab Bhagwant Mann was even unaware that his ministers had been in Delhi to report back to their boss and he referred to as a gathering of the Cupboard in Jalandhar and needed to change venue to Chandigarh and time after studying that the Ministers wouldn’t be capable to attain Jalandhar the place he himself reached within the night yesterday. That is the primary time historical past of any state that the CM is ready for his ministers. What a shameful state of affairs in Punjab. Bhagwant Mann, who’s stopping you from plain speaking to your boss? You might be answerable to Punjabis first and your boss later.”
Nevertheless, an aide of Mann who didn’t want to be named mentioned, “This shake-up has taken place after Bhagwant Mann’s approval. I can vouch that each determination was taken solely after taking the CM’s nod. There isn’t any diktat from the highest.”
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