Punjab Cabinet expansion, reshuffle on cards after Jalandhar by-election result
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ July 13,2024
Following AAP’s victory in Jalandhar (West) by-election, the stage is set for a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle in the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government. Mohinder Bhagat of AAP won the Jalandhar West election with a huge margin of 37000 votes in a five cornered contest.
Speculations are rife that now the Punjab cabinet expansion, rejig will happen in coming days. At present there is less number of cabinet ministers in Punjab government against the sanctioned strength.
As per rules the total number of ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a state shall not exceed 15 percent of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly of that state.
As per available information, two cabinet berths are available, the reshuffle is imminent, paving the way for new faces in the cabinet shortly.
A political pundit said “ the rejig may take some time as the state leadership won’t take any major decision in the absence of its convener Arvind Kejriwal, who is presently in jail. The Supreme Court has already granted interim bail in ED case and in coming days, he might get relief from the court in CBI case too. So, the state leadership can wait for a major rejig in the cabinet till his release from judicial custody.”
After the elevation of Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer as member parliament from Sangrur, a cabinet seat also got vacant.
Similarly, the newly elected Jalandhar (West) MLA Mohinder Bhagat will be adjusted in the cabinet as promise made by the chief minister Bhagwant Mann to the residents of Jalandhar (West).
Punjab Cabinet expansion, reshuffle on cards after Jalandhar by-election result. According to sources, at least five ministers, including two who faced allegations of moral turpitude, are expected to be ousted from the cabinet.
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