New Delhi: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday (July 4, 2022) expanded his cabinet as five Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were inducted as ministers in the Punjab government. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the MLAs at the Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium of Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. This was the first cabinet expansion of the Mann-led government after AAP came to power in the state during the assembly elections earlier this year.
Talking to reporters, CM Bhagwant Mann said, “Whatever expectations people have from us, we will live up to them.”
He also said that all the ministers will work in an honest and transparent manner.
“I am proud of my cabinet. I hope that whatever responsibility is given to them, they will fulfill it,” he said.
Many congratulations to all the new ministers who have joined the Punjab cabinet.
I have full faith that everyone will live up to the expectations of the people and will fulfill their responsibility with full dedication.
Congratulations to all on this new beginning. pic.twitter.com/JmHnyHiF44— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) 4 July 2022
Mann said the burden is too much on him as he has too many departments.
“We will give him a good portfolio,” Mann said.
When asked when the portfolios would be allocated, the chief minister said, “These will be given by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
Aman Arora, Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Fauja Singh Sarri, Chetan Singh Jourmajra, Anmol Gagan Mann take oath as Punjab ministers
Aman Arora, a two-time MLA from Sunam, was the first to take oath, followed by Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, MLA from Amritsar South seat. Fauja Singh Sarai, who represents Guru Har Sahai, Samana MLA Chetan Singh Jaurmajra and Kharar MLA Anmol Gagan Mann were also sworn in as cabinet ministers.
All of them took oath in Punjabi.
Punjab cabinet expansion: Four MLAs from Malwa region, one MLA from Majh
Of the five new faces, four MLAs are from Malwa region and one from Majha region. With the addition of five more ministers, the strength of the state cabinet, including the chief minister, will increase to 15.
Punjab cabinet expansion, live from Punjab Raj Bhavan at the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers https://t.co/oUb6SRquyT— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) 4 July 2022
10 MLAs, including eight, were inducted as ministers in March after AAP formed the government after a landslide victory in the assembly elections. However, in May Health Minister Vijay Singla sacked from the state cabinet On allegations of corruption, the number of ministers in the cabinet increased to nine.
There are 18 berths in the cabinet including the Chief Minister. The Aam Aadmi Party returned to power in Punjab by winning 92 seats out of a total of 117.
Who is the new cabinet minister of Punjab Aman Arora?
Suman MLA Aman Arora, 48, who was a two-time MLA from Sunam, registered the highest margin of 75,277 votes in the assembly elections by defeating Congress candidate Jaswinder Dhiman. His name for the ministerial post was also speculated in March, when the Mann-led government inducted 10 ministers, but he could not secure a berth at that time. Arora had joined AAP in 2016. He is the son of former Punjab minister Bhagwan Das Arora, who passed away in 2000.
Amritsar South MLA Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar sworn in as new Punjab minister
Amritsar South MLA Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, 66, is a radiologist by profession. He defeated Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Talbir Singh Gill by a margin of 27,503 votes during the state assembly elections. In May, Nijjar was elected president of Khalsa Diwan, the age-old charitable-cum-educational body that runs schools, colleges, old age homes and hospitals in Punjab. Nijjar was initially elected as the Pro-tem Speaker before Kultar Singh Sandhwan was elected as the Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Anmol Gagan Mann becomes second woman to be inducted into Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab cabinet
Anmol Gagan Mann (32), representing the Kharar assembly seat, is the second woman to be inducted into the Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet. Punjabi singer Anmol had joined AAP in 2020 and was the co-president of the party’s youth wing in the state. He sang the party’s election song “Kejriwal Hai” during the 2022 assembly elections. He defeated SAD candidate Ranjit Singh Gill by a margin of 37,885 votes.
Fauja Singh Sarri, a retired policeman took oath as a Punjab cabinet minister
Fauja Singh, a retired policeman, was elected from Guru Har Sahai in Sarai Ferozepur. He belongs to the Rai Sikh community. Sarari, 61, defeated SAD candidate Vardev Singh by a margin of 10,574 votes.
Chetan Singh Jauramajra became minister in Punjab government
Samana MLA Chetan Singh Jauramajra (55) defeated SAD candidate Surjit Singh Rakhda by 39,713 votes.
(with agency input)