Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
India

Mann to get first Council of Ministers on March 19

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Mar, 2022 11:35 AM
  • Mann to get first Council of Ministers on March 19

Chandigarh, March 18 (IANS) Two days after taking oath as Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann is set to get his first Council of Ministers, all first-timers, on Saturday.

Former Leader of the Opposition and a prominent Dalit face Harpal Singh Cheema may be inducted as the deputy chief minister. Cheema retained his Dirba seat.

The other probables in the Cabinet are Aman Arora, Kultar Sandhwan, Harjot Bains, Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, Baljinder Kaur, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Neena Mittal and Kunwar Vijay Pratap.

It is learnt the party leadership is keen to induct six to seven ministers in the Council of Ministers that has space for 17 ministerial posts, excluding the Chief Minister's.

The remaining ministers will be inducted after a few months, a senior party leader told IANS.

Sunam MLA Aman Arora is a prominent Hindu face of the party and is known for his proximity with Mann. In 2018, when Mann had resigned from the post of the state president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on allegations of drug trade, Arora too had quit AAP. Both of them later rejoined the party.

Arora defeated Congress' Jaswinder Singh Dhiman by a record margin of 75,277 votes, state's highest.

First-timer Jivan Jyot Kaur, who emerged as the 'giant slayer' by showing the door to two political heavyweights -- Navjot Singh Sidhu of the Congress and Majithia, who were busy in mudslinging against each other, is likely to inducted a minister.

Another first-time Kunwar Vijay Prartap, who once served as the Amritsar SSP, is AAP's big face who registered a victory in Amritsar North by defeating his closest rival and SAD's Anil Joshi by a margin of 28,313 votes.

Party's state co-in-charge Raghav Chadha has already clarified that the induction of the Council of Ministers in government is the prerogative of Bhagwant Mann, seting aside speculations that Arvind Kejriwal will be taking the final call from Delhi.

The party is trying to maintain a balance in the Cabinet from the state's Malwa, Majha and Doaba regions.

The Malwa belt can get more ministers as the party owns 66 out of the 69 seats in the region. In Doaba, AAP won 10 out of 23 seats, while in Majha, it won 16 out of 25.

Also, this time AAP sent eight women legislators, five doctors, the richest legislator -- Kulwant Singh with assets of Rs 238 crore and won from Mohali -- and the youngest -- Narinder Kaur Bharaj, 27, to the Assembly.

The AAP recorded a thumping win by claiming 92 of the Assembly's 117 seats. The ruling Congress won 18, down from 77 in 2017.

MORE India ARTICLES

Delhi man goes on 'vacation' to Himachal after stealing Rs 20 lakhs, held

Delhi man goes on 'vacation' to Himachal after stealing Rs 20 lakhs, held
The accused, identified as Nikhil Goswami, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, before being arrested by the Delhi Police from Ghaziabad, stayed for two days in Manali, Himachal Pradesh in an expensive hotel, where the room rent was Rs 25,000 per day.

Delhi man goes on 'vacation' to Himachal after stealing Rs 20 lakhs, held

'Stay your hand': SC to Maha govt in Param Bir Singh case

'Stay your hand': SC to Maha govt in Param Bir Singh case
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh expressed concern over the ongoing legal battle between Singh and the Maharashtra government, terming it a "messy state of affairs" and also a "very unfortunate situation".

'Stay your hand': SC to Maha govt in Param Bir Singh case

Drugs smuggling remained unabated during Assembly polls in Punjab

Drugs smuggling remained unabated during Assembly polls in Punjab
The NCB was keeping a close vigil on the drug smuggling cases in all the election-bound states, during which as many as 14 cases related to the seizure of drugs were reported from Punjab, which went to the polls in a single phase on February 20.

Drugs smuggling remained unabated during Assembly polls in Punjab

Death sentence for 38 in 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case

Death sentence for 38 in 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case
Judge Ambalal R Patel announced a compensation of Rs one lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those who suffered minor injuries.

Death sentence for 38 in 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case

PM hosting prominent Sikhs will benefit in Punjab polls, feels BJP

PM hosting prominent Sikhs will benefit in Punjab polls, feels BJP
The BJP claimed the Prime Minister hosting the prominent Sikhs will help the party by sending a message to the people of Punjab that he is deeply connected with the community and understands their concerns and issues. Another party leader aware of Punjab politics said that the interaction will help the BJP to dispel the anti-Sikh misconception built around it.

PM hosting prominent Sikhs will benefit in Punjab polls, feels BJP

Channi has no knowledge of Bihar, says Nitish Kumar

Channi has no knowledge of Bihar, says Nitish Kumar
Continuing his attack on Punjab Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Friday said that Channi has no knowledge of Bihar. Nitish Kumar claimed that the Congress party gave a chance to a person who has no knowledge of Bihar and Bihari people.

Channi has no knowledge of Bihar, says Nitish Kumar