Punjab Cabinet expansion on hold as Governor in Udaipur

The much-anticipated expansion of the Punjab Cabinet has been postponed on account of the unavailability of Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who has proceeded to Udaipur.

The Governor, who administers the oath of office and secrecy to ministers, will be out of the city till July 2, according to sources. As a result, the government cannot hold the oath-taking ceremony for the new ministers till his return.

“Due to it, even discussions on the Cabinet expansion have been postponed,” a senior AAP functionary.

Initially, the AAP government had planned to go ahead with the Cabinet expansion this week.

Two days ago, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, after meeting Punjab Governor Kataria, had announced that the Cabinet expansion would take place within two or three days.

Though he had announced that newly elected Ludhiana West MLA Sanjeev Arora would be part of the expanded Cabinet, he had declined to divulge details about other possible inductees.

Ruling AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had announced during the Ludhiana West bypoll campaign that Arora, when elected, would be inducted in the Cabinet.

Arora will take as an MLA on Saturday morning. The oath will be administered by Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan. Senior leaders of the ruling party will attend the ceremony.

As of now, there are two vacant berths in the 16-member Bhagwant Mann Cabinet.

The Punjab Council of Ministers can have 18 ministers, including the CM.

Speculations are rife that some minister may be replaced while portfolios could also be reshuffled.