Charanjit Singh Channi is likely to replace some of the ministers in the new cabinet.
New Delhi/Chandigarh:
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi discussed the formation of his cabinet with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday, sources said.
Mr Channi, who arrived in the national capital in the evening, first discussed the list of names to be included in his cabinet with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat.
Thereafter, the two leaders met and discussed with Mr. Gandhi.
Mr Channi is likely to replace some ministers known to be loyal to former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh. Two vacancies are also to be filled in place of Amarinder Singh and State Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Mr Sidhu’s post has not been filled since he resigned from the Punjab cabinet in 2019.
Sources said that Punjab Congress working president Sangat Singh Gilzian and party leader Manpreet Singh Badal were also in Delhi.
Mr Channi’s visit to the national capital assumes significance as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra returned to the national capital from Shimla on Wednesday.
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar had accompanied Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi on a flight to Delhi.
Mr. Channi, his two representatives Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni; And Mr. Sidhu went to Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the expansion of the state cabinet with the Congress leadership.
He met Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Mr. Rawat.
Sources said the cabinet is likely to see some new faces.
The names of Pargat Singh, Rajkumar Verka, Gurkeerat Singh Kotli, Sangat Singh Giljian, Surjit Dhiman, Amarinder Singh Raja Waring and Kuljit Singh Nagra are in the news.
Pargat Singh, considered close to Mr Sidhu, is currently the general secretary of the Punjab Congress and Gilzian is the working president of the party’s state unit.
There is speculation that Amarinder Singh’s staunch loyalists – Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who was sports minister, and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, who was social justice and empowerment minister – may be dropped from the cabinet.
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