Punjab Cabinet expansion: Five new ministers sworn in

Chandigarh, July 04: Five new ministers joined the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Monday as Chief Minister expanded his cabinet three months after returning to power.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the MLAs at Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium of Punjab Raj Bhawan here on Monday evening. Barring two-time Sunam MLA Aman Arora, four others were the first-time legislators.

Arora was the first one to take oath, followed by Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, who is the MLA from Amritsar South seat. Later, Fauja Singh Sarari, who represents Guru Har Sahai, Chetan Singh Jourmajra, MLA from Samana, and Kharar legislator Anmol Gagan Mann were administered oath as cabinet ministers. Anmol Gagan Mann is the second woman who became the cabinet minister in the Mann-led cabinet. All of them took oath in Punjabi.

With the induction of five more ministers, the strength of the Mann-led cabinet reached 15, including the chief minister.

Of the five new faces, four MLAs are from the Malwa region and one is from the Majha region.

After the AAP formed the government following its resounding victory in the 2022 assembly polls, 10 MLAs were inducted as ministers in the Mann-led cabinet.

There are 18 berths in the cabinet, including the chief minister. At present, there are nine ministers in the Mann-led cabinet.

In May, Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state cabinet over graft charges. The Aam Aadmi Party had stormed to power in Punjab by bagging 92 seats out of a total of 117.