Bhagwant Mann expands Punjab cabinet, five AAP MLAs, including four first-time legislators, take oath as ministers

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 Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium of Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh. It was the first cabinet expansion of the Mann-led government after AAP stormed 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 stated that all ministers will work honestly and in a transparent manner.

"I am proud of my cabinet. I expect that whatever responsibility is given to them, they will perform it," he said.

पंजाब कैबिनेट में शामिल हुए सभी नए मंत्रियों को बहुत बधाई।

मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि सभी जनता की उम्मीदों पर खरे उतरेंगे और अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी पूरी शिद्दत से निभाएंगे।

इस नई शुरुआत के लिए सभी को बधाई। pic.twitter.com/JmHnyHiF44 — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 4, 2022

Mann said he has a lot of burden on him as he has too many portfolios with him.

"We will allot good portfolios to them," said Mann. 

On being asked when the portfolios will be allotted, the chief minister said, "These will be given by tomorrow or a day after tomorrow."

Aman Arora, Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Fauja Singh Sarari, Chetan Singh Jourmajra, Anmol Gagan Mann take oath as Punjab ministers

Aman Arora, a two-time MLA from Sunam, was the first one to take the oath, followed by Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, who is the MLA from the Amritsar South seat. Fauja Singh Sarari, who represents Guru Har Sahai, Chetan Singh Jourmajra, MLA from Samana, and Kharar legislator Anmol Gagan Mann were also administered oath as cabinet ministers.

All of them took oath in Punjabi.

Punjab cabinet expansion: Four MLAs from Malwa region, one from Majha

Of the five new faces, four MLAs are from the Malwa region and one is from the Majha area. With the induction of five more ministers, the strength of the state cabinet will reach 15, including the chief minister.

ਪੰਜਾਬ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮੰਡਲ ਦਾ ਵਿਸਥਾਰ, ਨਵੇਂ ਮੰਤਰੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਸਹੁੰ ਚੁੱਕ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਰਾਜ ਭਵਨ ਤੋਂ LIVE https://t.co/oUb6SRquyT — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 4, 2022

After AAP formed the government following its resounding victory in the assembly polls, 10 MLAs, including eight first-timers, were inducted as ministers in March. However, in May, Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state cabinet over graft charges, taking the strength of ministers to nine in the Cabinet.

There are 18 berths in the cabinet, including the chief minister. The Aam Aadmi Party had stormed to power in Punjab by bagging 92 seats out of a total of 117.

Who is Aman Arora, Punjab's new cabinet minister?

Suman MLA Aman Arora, 48, is a two-time legislator from Sunam, had recorded the highest victory margin of 75,277 votes in the Assembly polls by defeating Congress candidate Jaswinder Dhiman. His name for the ministerial position was speculated in March too when 10 ministers were inducted by the Mann-led government but he could not secure the 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 legislator Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar takes oath as new Punjab minister

Amritsar South legislator Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, 66, is a radiologist by profession. He trounced Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Talbir Singh Gill by a margin of 27,503 votes during the state assembly polls. In May, Nijjar was elected president of the century-old charitable-cum-educational body Chief Khalsa Diwan that runs schools, colleges, old-age homes and hospitals in Punjab. Nijjar was initially elected protem speaker before Kultar Singh Sandhwan was elected the speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Anmol Gagan Mann becomes second woman to be inducted into Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab cabinet

Anmol Gagan Mann (32), who represents the Kharar assembly seat, is the second woman to be inducted into the Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet. Anmol, a Punjabi singer, had joined AAP in 2020 and was the co-president of the party's youth wing in the state. She had sung the party's poll song, "Kejriwal hai", during the 2022 Assembly elections. She had defeated SAD candidate Ranjit Singh Gill by a margin of 37,885 votes.

Fauja Singh Sarari, a retired policeman, administered oath as Punjab cabinet minister

Fauja Singh Sarari, a retired policeman, was elected from Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur. He belongs to the Rai Sikh community. Sarari, 61, had defeated SAD candidate Vardev Singh by a margin of 10,574 votes.

Chetan Singh Jouramajra inducted as minister in Punjab government

Samana MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra, 55, had defeated SAD nominee Surjit Singh Rakhra by 39,713 votes.

(With agency inputs)