There are 18 berths in the Cabinet, including the Chief Minister
- July 04, 2022
- Updated: 01:45 am
DW BUREAU / Chandigarh
Less than four months after the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) sweeping the Assembly elections in Punjab, the Bhagwant Mann Government will have its first Cabinet expansion on Monday evening with five new ministers, including second-time legislator Aman Arora, likely to be inducted.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Punjab Raj Bhawan at 5 pm on Monday.
Five new ministers who are set to join the Bhagwant Mann's Council of Ministers, include Aman Arora from Sunam, Anmol Gagan Mann from Kharar, Fauja Singh Sarari from Guru Har Sahai, Inderbir Singh Nijjer from Amritsar South, and Chetan Singh Jormajra from Samana, sources said.
After the AAP formed the government following its resounding victory in the 2022 assembly polls, 10 MLAs were inducted as ministers in the Mann-led Cabinet. There are 18 berths in the Cabinet, including the Chief Minister. At present, there are nine ministers in the Mann-led
cabinet.
It may be mentioned that before Kultar Singh Sandhwan was sworn in as Speaker, Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar had been appointed Pro-tem Speaker immediately after the formation of the AAP government. Fauja Singh who has been considered for the Cabinet berth is a prominent leader from the Rai Sikh community. He has released a video thanking the AAP leadership for considering him for the Minister's post. He said he received an unexpected call today asking him to be present for the Cabinet expansion.
Anmol Gagan Mann who is also being considered for the minister's post is a youth leader who had created a Kejriwal anthem. Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal had also campaigned for her in Kharar.
It may be recalled that in an unprecedented action by the Mann Government, Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state Cabinet on May 24 and arrested on corruption charges with Chief Minister Mann saying his government has zero tolerance towards corruption. The Aam Aadmi Party had stormed to power by bagging 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the state assembly polls.
(with agency inputs)
(editor@dailyworld.in)