Congress in Punjab today attacked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for appointing a "jumbo-sized" team of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries alleging the moves "violated" the Constitution.
"It amounts to outraging the sanctity of the Constitution and is absolutely unconstitutional," PCC chief Amarinder Singh alleged in a statement issued here.
Badal today appointed seven MLAs as CPSes, five from SAD and two from BJP. Before the new appointments, Punjab had 19 CPSes, including Inderbir Singh Bolaria of SAD, who was dropped today.
Amarinder said this was Badal's "last-ditch effort" to placate his ambitious MLAs.
"This jumbo-sized team of CPSes not only circumvents and subverts the provisions of the Constitution, that bars appointment of more than 15 per cent of the strength of the Vidhan Sabha as ministers, it will also put extra burden on an already ailing and over-strained (state's) economy," he said.
Leader of opposition Charanjit Singh Channi had also dubbed the appointment "unconstitutional".
Terming the government's move "most insensitive and irresponsible", he said, "You don't have money to pay salaries and pensions and here you have appointed seven more CPSes."
"When farmers are committing suicide, Badal is busy keeping his MLAs in good humour throwing the leftover crumbs of power at them at the fag-end of his term," he said.
Amarinder pointed out that there are already 17 Cabinet ministers, including the Chief Minister and his Deputy, and 25 CPSes in the government, taking the total number to 42.
"Why leave out the thirty more MLAs left in your alliance? What difference will it make, when you have already flouted the provisions of the Constitution with impunity," he taunted.
