Ashu makes it to Cabinet

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 20

Much awaited expansion of the Cabinet by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will be held on Saturday. It holds special significance for the city as MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu has been chosen for a ministerial berth. The decision was taken during a meeting between the Chief Minister and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

Ashu’s name had been doing the rounds for ministerial berth since the Congress government was formed in 2017. It took the Chief Minister more than a year to expand his Cabinet.

With eight MLAs of the ruling party from the district, the leaders had been demanding Cabinet berth for one of them for a long time.

Fortyfive-year-old Ashu has done his graduation from Arya College and has been councillor. He went on to win with a big margin in the 2012 Assembly elections and got elevated as the deputy CLP leader.

In the Vidhan Sabha elections of 2017, he won with the highest margin of 36,521 votes from the Ludhiana West constituency.

A large number of visitors came to see Ashu after his name was announced for a ministerial berth. Speaking on his selection, he said he was thankful to the party high command and Capt Amarinder Singh for showing faith in him.

“I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the party and the people who elected me and always showed confidence in me. I am ready for the new innings and am hopeful of doing my best,” said Ashu.

Five-time MLA Rakesh Pandey, who was also a strong contender for a ministerial berth, said he was happy with the decision of the party. “Change is bound to come and we have accepted that. Rahul Gandhi has selected the team and we respect the decision. He wanted to give a chance to the young generation. If they are able to meet the expectations of the party, only time and their performance will tell,” said Pandey.

Surinder Dawar, a two-time MLA, said everybody tried his best and destiny played an important role in it. “I am happy with the decision of the high command and respect their decision. I welcome the decision on selecting Ashu in the Cabinet and also congratulate him,” said Dawar.