This is the first Cabinet Cabinet expansion in the state since the AAP came to power in March this year. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhawan.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expanded his Cabinet on Monday with the induction of five Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators, including four first time Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), as ministers.
This is the first Cabinet Cabinet expansion in the state since the AAP came to power in March this year. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhawan.
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The newly inducted Cabinet ministers sworn in today included two-time Sunam MLA Aman Arora, Inderbir Singh Nijjar (MLA Amritsar South), Fauja Singh (MLA Guru Har Sahai), Chetan Singh Joramajra (MLA Samana) and Anmol Gagan Mann (MLA Kharar), who is the second woman minister of the AAP government. While four of the new ministers are from Malwa region, one is from the Majha region.
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After the formation of the AAP government in March, 10 ministers were made in Punjab besides the CM. As Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked on corruption charges, the number of ministers in the Cabinet had come down to nine.
After the induction of five ministers, the total number of ministers including the chief minister has rose to 15. The Punjab Cabinet can have a maximum of 18 ministers including the CM, three berths are still vacant.
Speaking to reporters, CM Mann said, “Those who cannot be inducted will be given other responsibilities. I hope that the new ministers will work with honesty.”
The Cabinet expansion took place days after the AAP suffered a humiliating defeat in the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann won the bypoll necessitated after the CM Bhagwant Mann resigned as Member of Parliament following his victory from the Dhuri constituency in the Assembly polls.
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