No unfairness in selecting ministers: Amarinder
Chandigarh, April 21: With accusations being made by his own party legislators that he picked up only his loyalists as ministers in his government, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Saturday that the selections were made to give representation to all categories.
Denying any "unfairness" in the selection of the new cabinet ministers, he claimed that adequate representation had been given to all sections and regions, with seniority being the key criteria.
"There were no swollen faces in the party, as the media chose to call them," a visibly agitated Amarinder Singh told media after the swearing in of nine new cabinet ministers and elevation of two sitting women ministers took place at the Raj Bhawan here on Saturday evening.
"The focus had been on striking a regional and caste balance, in order to ensure holistic development of the state," he said, replying to a question regarding dissatisfaction among some Congress MLAs.
To a question about certain MLAs having quit party posts after failing to find a berth in the cabinet, the Chief Minister said all issues would be "amicably resolved".
"With four Dalit ministers already in the cabinet, another member of the community could not have been accommodated. Nearly 25 percent of the state cabinet was currently being represented by Dalits," he pointed out.
The Chief Minister assured that all the Congress MLAs, who had not found place in the Council of Ministers, would be inducted into the various boards and corporations.
"The state has 7,000 jobs, ranging from the market committees to the planning boards, that can be given to party workers," he added.
Three Congress legislators had on Friday announced their resignation from party posts after their names did not figure in the list of new ministers.
At least 10 other legislators, six of them being senior and strong contenders for being ministers, were not considered.
At the same time, the list of new ministers was full of those seen as loyalists of the Chief Minister.
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Annamalai's remarks about Mumbai misconstrued for political gains, says BJP MLA
Mumbai (PTI): BJP MLA R Tamil Selvan on Monday defended party leader K Annamalai's remarks about Mumbai, saying his statements, aimed at highlighting the city's global importance, had been deliberately misconstrued for political gains.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) last week demanded that Annamalai be arrested for his remark that "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city".
While campaigning for the January 15 civic body elections last week, former IPS officer and ex-Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai had said, "People want a triple engine government. This is the only metro city in the country where a triple engine is possible. Modi is in Delhi, Fadnavis is the chief minister, and now Mumbai will have a BJP mayor. Mumbai is not a Maharashtra city but an international city."
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Talking to reporters, Selvan, who represents the Sion Koliwada assembly constituency, said, "Our leader Annamalai described Mumbai as a city respected across the world. What he wanted to say was that Mumbai is becoming the world's number one city, mainly because of the blessings of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Be it the Metro project, road construction or the provision of services, Mumbai has emerged as an important city on the global front. Annamalai was talking in this context."
The BJP leader's words were being distorted for political gains, he said.
"How can anyone separate Mumbai from Maharashtra? Not even a prime minister will be able to do it. Annamalai did not say those words out of disrespect. He was only saying that Mumbai has a global identity," he said.
Responding to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's "Rasmalai" jibe at Annamalai, Selvan said, "Raj Thackeray is a senior leader, and many respect him. I still respect him, but he should respect others as well. I am also from Tamil Nadu, but I have won the assembly elections thrice with the support of around 90,000 Marathi voters. They did not see my background."
The BJP gives tickets to people who serve the society, he said.
Selvan claimed that he had worked extensively in Maharashtra, even in rural areas, and invoked icons such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Lokmanya Tilak in his speeches.
In a dig at his critics, the BJP MLA said, "Now people have seen who uses foul language against our chief minister, who works for the people's welfare. We oppose such use of foul language. CM Fadnavis will take appropriate action against such people."
