For cabinet berths, Badal prefers experience

A number of big names of Shiromani Akali Dal who were cabinet ministers in the outgoing coalition government may have lost in the assembly elections, but the party has no dearth of experienced hands who would take oath as ministers at Banda Bahadur memorial in Chappar Chiri on Wednesday.

Out of 12 ministers from SAD, only two are first-timers, including Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Surjeet Singh Rakhra. But Dhillon and Rakhra have remained MP and MLA, respectively, in the past.

The SAD-BJP coalition government would decide the portfolios before the cabinet meeting fixed for Wednesday evening immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. Interestingly, there would be only one woman in the new cabinet, former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur.

The coalition partner BJP has been given four cabinet berths. Madan Mohan Mittal and SK Jyani are old-timers while Bhagat Chunni Lal and Anil Joshi are first-timers. Jyani was minister in the previous coalition government whereas Mittal was a minister during 1997-2002.

Sarwan Singh Phillaur remained minister during 1997-2002 and chief parliamentary secretary in the previous coalition government. Tota Singh was education minister from 1997-2002. Maluka was irrigation and power minister during 1997-2002.

Five minister of the outgoing government would again get cabinet berths. They include Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Ajit Singh Kohar and Parminder Singh Dhindsa.

Bikram Singh Majithia remained public relations minister for a year after SAD-BJP government took over in 2007 but resigned in 2009 to make way for Sukhbir Badal.