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Religion, region balance: Capt Amarinder cabinet to get 9 new ministers today

Religion, region balance: Capt Amarinder cabinet to get 9 new ministers today

CM Amarinder Singh said the new ministers were cleared by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Two ministers of state are also being elevated to the Cabinet.
Chandigarh :The much-delayed expansion of the Punjab cabinet will take place on Saturday with the Congress finalising names of nine new ministers after two-day marathon meetings between Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
The new ministers, all in the cabinet rank, will be sworn in on Saturday. Their portfolios would be announced later. Two ministers of state, Razia Sultana and Aruna Chaudhary, will also be elevated to the cabinet rank, the CM said in a statement.
Striking a region and religion balance, four of the new ministers are Hindus and five Jat Sikhs. The politically important Malwa belt has bagged the highest number of five slots followed by Majha (3) and Doaba (1). There is no Dalit among the new ministers. Three of existing eight ministers belong to the community.
It would be first stint as minister for all new inductees though most have won three or more times with the exception of Hoshiarpur MLA Sunder Sham Arora, who was elected for the second time, Vijay Inder Singla, a former MP, who won as MLA for the first time from Sangrur, and two-time MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who represents Ludhiana West seat.
Arora had the backing of state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar so did Ashu. Singla and Ashu are also Rahul’s protégés.
Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was a unanimous choice in the new cabinet, which largely has the stamp of the CM, who has been able to secure berths for many of his loyalists. Raja Sansi MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Mohali legislator Balbir Sidhu, Rampura Phul MLA Gurpreet Kangar and five-time MLA OP Soni, who represents Amritsar Central segment, all had the CM’s backing.
Jakhar and state affairs incharge Asha Kumari and co-incharge Harish Chaudhary too were part of the parleys held at New Delhi over the past two days.
Amarinder later said in a statement that seniority was key criterion (though two senior-most MLAs from Ludhiana, Surinder Dawar and Rakesh Pandey, are not part of the list) and there was total consensus on the names.
“Due representation has been given to all the regions along with capabilities and strengths of ministers. All are experienced grass-roots leaders,” the CM said in the statement.
Singla and Ashu are also Rahul’s protégés. Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was a unanimous choice in the new cabinet, which largely has the stamp of the CM, who has been able to secure berths for many of his loyalists. Raja Sansi MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Mohali legislator Balbir Sidhu, Rampura Phul MLA Gurpreet Kangar and five-time MLA OP Soni, who represents Amritsar Central segment, all had the CM’s backing.
Jakhar and state affairs incharge Asha Kumari and co-incharge Harish Chaudhary too were part of the parleys held at New Delhi over the past two days.
Amarinder later said in a statement that seniority was key criterion (though two seniormost MLAs from Ludhiana, Surinder Dawar and Rakesh Pandey, are not part of the list) and there was total consensus on the names.
“Due representation has been given to all the regions along with capabilities and strengths of ministers. All are experienced grass-roots leaders,” the CM said in the statement.

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