Reshuffle today: Mann cabinet set to get 5 new faces

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann is set to reshuffle his cabinet on Monday, marking the fourth such exercise in his 30-month tenure.

Four cabinet ministers, Balkar Singh (local bodies), Chetan Singh Jouramajra (irrigation and public relation), Brahm Shankar Jimpa (revenue) and Anmol Gagan Maan (investment promotion minister), resigned on Sunday, paving the way for new inductees. Hardeep Singh Mundian, Tarunpreet S Sondh, Barinder Goyal and Mohinder Bhagat are among five new faces set to be inducted during the oath ceremony that will be held at 5 pm at Raj Bhawan here on Monday, confirmed officials. Governor Gulab Chand Kataria will administer oath to the new inductees.

Currently, the cabinet (before today’s resignations) consists of 15 ministers, including Mann. The state’s council of ministers can have up to 18 members. The party has reportedly been in discussions with key stakeholders, including Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who met senior ministers and MLAs in Delhi to finalise the names of new inductees.

“The reshuffle is a strategic move to revamp the leadership. This becomes imperative amid shifting political dynamics in the state as the AAP is keen on re-aligning its governance approach following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, which was not as per expectation of the party,” said senior leaders of the party, who didn’t want to be named.

“There will be shuffling of departments for better results as the government has entered into the second half of its five-year tenure,” said a person in know of the matter.

While Goyal is an MLA from Lehra, Mundian is a legislator from Sahnewal assembly segment. Tarunpreet and Bhagat represent Khanna and Jalandhar West segments, respectively.

As Balkar was from Doaba, Bhagat will now represent the region in the cabinet. Mann is replacing Jimpa with another Hindu face Goyal. As Ludhiana, the biggest district of the state, was having no cabinet minister, Sond and Mundian will be inducted to represent it.

Earlier, Mann had reshuffled his cabinet in January 2023, following the resignation of then minister Fauja Singh Sarari. Dr Balbir Singh was inducted at that time and was given the health and family welfare portfolio.