Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is most likely to add more faces, a blend of skill and freshness, to his Council of Ministers in the next month.
Capt Amarinder is scheduled to meet Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the first week of July, and cabinet expansion is on top of the agenda. As of now, the Punjab Cabinet has ten ministers, including the Chief Minister, and it could have eight more. As per the rule, the Cabinet could have 15 percent of the total strength of the State Assembly as Ministers. In Punjab’s case, it would be 18 in 117-member House.
Besides the Ministers, the Government has also planned to appoint the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) — a move scrapped by the Punjab and Haryana High Court during the previous Government’s tenure. Not withstanding, the Congress Government is working on a Bill for appointing CPS, which is expected to be passed in the next session. The decision, regrading Cabinet expansion, was expected to be taken before the Budget Session, but was put off as the Government was embroiled in the sand mining scam after the name of its Minister Rana Gurjit Singh surfaced.
Other than that, the Government was also under pressure to “showcase” its performance in its three-month rule in the Vidhan Sabha to counter Opposition’s criticism. Farm loan waiver was the major challenge.
Now with the dust settling over sand mining scam, and Government set the ball rolling to fulfil its several pre-poll promises including debt waiver, the demand for rewarding more MlAs with the coveted posts are gaining momentum.
Available information suggests that a simmering discontentment was noticed among the senior legislators who have been assured of being rewarded for their performance.
At the time of Cabinet formation, the preference was given to the MlAs who have won for more than three times, with the former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu being an exception who won assembly polls for the first time. Sidhu had been Amritsar MP thrice as BJP candidate.
To stake their claims, the aspirants are already lobbying hard, with many spending nights and days at the Delhi Durbar.
Among the front runners are three-time MlA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Dera Baba Nanak, four-time MlA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi from Guru Har Sahai, five-time MlA Om Parkash Soni from Amritsar west, three-time MlA Raj Kumar Verka from Verka, four-time MlA Rakesh Kumar Pandey from ludhiana, three-time MlA Balbir Singh Sidhu from Mohali. The name of Indian Youth Congress president Raja Amarinder Singh, Warring and Sangrur MlA Vijay Ibder single are also in consideration to add youth power, besides for being part of Rahul brigade.
Another young leader, Kuljit Singh Nagra from Fatehgarh Sahib, who also enjoys proximity with Rahul Gandhi, is also likely to get Cabinet, or CPS rank.
To strike balance among all categories, the party may induct one Dalit MlA, and Verka, who also the vice-chairman of national SC panel, is the prime candidate. As of now, Rana Gurjit Singh has been given place in the cabinet from Doaba region, for which, the names of Olympian Pargat Singh and Sangat Singh Gizlian is being considered. Randeep Singh Nabha, who won has won thrice, is another strong claimant.
