Punjab Cabinet rejig on the cards

Ruchika M Khanna & Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 11

A meeting of AAP MLAs, chaired by party’s national general secretary (organisation) and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, called here tonight, has set the ball rolling for the much-anticipated rejig in the Punjab Cabinet.

Among the 15 MLAs called tonight for the meeting were Gurpreet Singh Banawali, Devinder Singh Laddi Dhos, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, Ashok Prashar Pappi, Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola, Virender Goyal and Ravjot Singh. Amritsar Central MLA Ajay Gupta, who had spoken against rampant illicit drug trade and worsening law and order situation in the state two days ago, was also called for the meeting. He had refused to work until the “pride” of party volunteers was restored by the leadership, and they were accorded due respect in government offices.

The meeting today is being seen among the party leadership as a precursor to the Cabinet reshuffle. At least five ministers, including two who had courted controversy after charges of moral turpitude were levelled against them, are expected to be replaced by the party high command. Some of the eight ministers in the Cabinet, who could not even ensure a lead for the party in their own constituencies during the just concluded Lok Sabha poll, are also likely to be replaced with new faces.

The party had secured a win in just three of the 13 LS seats, and its vote share declined from 42 per cent in the 2022 Vidhan Sabha poll to 26 per cent in the LS poll.

Officially, leaders said the meeting was called by Pathak to assess the party’s performance in the elections.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is expected to go to Delhi soon, where final deliberations on the reshuffle are expected to be held. With one seat in the Punjab Council of Ministers falling vacant with the election of Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer as a Member of Parliament and another two Cabinet berth available, the rejig is anticipated anytime now.