Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said that if Navjot Singh Sidhu did not want to do his job, then there was nothing he could do about it.
Chief Minister Singh said that he had been informed that the resignation was sent to his residence in Chandigarh but he was yet to see it.
"Sidhu was given the crucial power portfolio, which was particularly important at this time in view of the paddy season, from June to October. With many parts of Punjab not receiving adequate rainfall, the power situation was critical, requiring day to day monitoring," an official statement quoted the Chief Minister, as saying.
He said that he was himself doing this job now.
"The minister should have accepted his new portfolio instead of shunning the work in the middle of the crucial paddy season," he added.
Pointing out that he had reshuffled the portfolios of 13 of the 17 ministers after the Lok Sabha elections, Captain Amarinder said that Sidhu was the only member who had problems.
"The reshuffle was decided on the basis of the performance of the ministers, and Sidhu should have accepted his new department," he added.
The Chief Minister, however, said he did not see any harm in the minister sending his papers to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The Cabinet was decided in consultation with the Congress high command, he said.
Sidhu on Monday sent his resignation to the Chief Minister at his official residence, ending speculation that ensued through the weekend following the announcement of his exit from Singh's Cabinet.
The cricketer-turned-politician had earlier submitted his resignation to Rahul Gandhi instead of Singh. It had remained unclear as to why the resignation was not sent to Singh in the past one month.
( With inputs from ANI )