Jandiala, Ajnala get representation in Cabinet after a long time

Tribune News Service

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, March 19

Even as the representation of urban constituencies in the state Cabinet has decreased, rural constituencies such as Ajnala and Jandiala are going to see their representatives as Cabinet ministers after a long time.

While no urban MLA has been inducted into the Cabinet, Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Jandiala MLA Harbhajan Singh ETO took oath as Cabinet ministers.

Last time, it was in 1982 that any Ajnala MLA had taken oath as Cabinet minister. Then, Harcharan Singh Ajnala, father of former Congress MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala, was made a Cabinet minister. The Senior Ajnala had also remained the Speaker from 1992 to 1993.

From Jandiala, the last Cabinet minister was Sardool Singh Bandala, who was the father of former Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Danny Bandala. Sardool Singh had remained a minister in Beant Singh government and then again in 2002 Congress government. He held the portfolio of Excise and Taxation.

With the incumbent AAP MLA Harbhajan Singh having served as ETO (excise and taxation officer) before joining active politics in 2017, it is being speculated that he would get the portfolio of Excise and Taxation Department.

In most of the previous governments, especially the last three — Congress 2002-2007, SAD/BJP 2007-2012 and SAD/BJP 2017-2022 — the city MLAs had a fair share in the Cabinet.

From getting portfolios as Health, Medical Education, Local Bodies, the Amritsar Central MLA Om Soni was elevated to the post of Deputy CM under Charanjit Singh Channi’s tenure.

Patti MLA, too, inducted

Tarn Taran: After five years, the border district of Tarn Taran managed to get a representation in the Cabinet with the induction of Laljit Singh Bhullar, AAP MLA from Patti. He was inducted into the Bhagwant Mann government in the 16th Vidhan Sabha, the election for which were held on February 20 and the results were declared on March 10. All section of the area have welcomed the induction of Bhullar into the Cabinet. Laljit Singh Bhullar (41) is a farmer and arhtiya by profession. He defeated SAD stalwart — former Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, who is the brother-in-law (sister’s husband) of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, by a margin of 10,999 votes. — Gurbaxpuri

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