Punjab: 5 first-time MLAs join Bhagwant Mann Cabinet
Midway through its five-year tenure, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government inducted five first-time MLAs into the Cabinet by dropping four sitting ministers here today.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath of office and secrecy to Hardeep Singh Mundian, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Dr Ravjot Singh and Mohinder Bhagat in CM Mann’s presence at the Punjab Raj Bhawan.
CM sacks OSD overseeing dhuri segment amid complaints
- Mann on Monday sacked his OSD Prof Onkar Singh following multiple plaints, including one by a Delhi MLA who had campaigned in Jalandhar West in July
- Mann had appointed Onkar, who hails from a village near Lambi, OSD to the Chairman of Punjab Rural Development Board, a charge held by the CM
- Onkar’s term was co-terminus with that of CM; considered Mann’s close aide, he oversaw CM’s Dhuri segment; had earlier taught at Punjabi University, Patiala
The CM also redistributed three key portfolios held by him — Housing, Jails, and Industry and Commerce — among his ministers. Mann now holds nine portfolios — Personnel, Home Affairs and Justice, General Administration, Vigilance, Cooperation, Legal Affairs, Civil Aviation, Science & Technology and Environment, and Sports and Youth Welfare.
The fourth Cabinet reshuffle clearly bears the stamp of AAP’s central leadership. Sources told The Tribune the central leadership led by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had sought a list of “honest MLAs” from party MPs, some ministers and key leaders. Sitting ministers Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Anmol Gagan Maan, Brahm Shankar Jimpa and Balkaur Singh had resigned from the Cabinet yesterday. While Mundian has got the Housing department, besides Revenue, Water Supply and Sanitation, Sond has been assigned Industry as also Rural Development, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Labour and Hospitality. The Jails department has been given to sitting minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who, however, has been divested of the charge of Rural Development. Goyal has been assigned Mines and Geology, Water Resources and Conservation of Land and Water; and Dr Ravjot Singh Local Government and Parliamentary Affairs departments. Bhagat, who won the recent Jalandhar West bypoll and was assured a Cabinet berth by CM Mann, has been entrusted with Defence Services Welfare, Freedom Fighters and Horticulture.
While there is no change in the portfolios of other sitting ministers, Education Minister Harjot Bains has got the additional charge of the important Information and Public Relations department. The Punjab Cabinet now has 16 ministers, including CM Mann. Since the Cabinet can have a maximum of 18 ministers, two berths still remain vacant.
By inducting three new ministers from the Malwa region and two from Doaba, the AAP government has tried to strike a regional balance. Malwa now has 10 ministers, including CM Mann, while Majha has four and Doaba two.
In Malwa, Sangrur district continues to get the highest representation with four ministers, while Muktsar is second with two. As many as 12 districts, however, remain unrepresented. The AAP government’s commitment to social engineering is also evident as the Cabinet now has six Dalit and two Hindu ministers. Dr Baljit Kaur remains the lone woman face with Anmol Gagan Maan’s exit.
Prior to the allocation of portfolios, the 20-minute oath ceremony saw most of the sitting ministers, ruling party MLAs, senior bureaucrats and family members of the newly-appointed ministers in attendance.
