Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s cabinet expansion, fourth since he took over his office in March last, has sent across a strong message to the leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — ‘perform to be rewarded’, and ‘get punished for not toeing the party line’.
The induction of cop-turned-politician Balkar Singh — party MLA from Kartarpur that falls under Jalandhar Lok Sabha segment recently won by AAP in byelections — is the perfect example of performing and getting rewarded as the party succeeded in re-opening its account in the Lok Sabha.
On the other hand, the exit of Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from the State Cabinet gave a clear message that if you don’t stay in the party line, you will get punished. His comments in support of senior journalist Dr Barjinder Singh Hamdard, facing vigilance inquiry, is believed to have cost him the Cabinet berth.
At the same time, Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who recently courted controversy for his comments to make IELTS a part of curriculum in state’s colleges and universities, also lost two key departments — Agriculture, and Rural Development and Panchayats— in portfolio reshuffling in the wake of two new additions in the Cabinet.
The key department of Agriculture and the Farmers’ Welfare has been allocated to Lambi MLA Gurmeet Singh Khudian, who sworn in as the Cabinet Minister along with Balkar Singh on Wednesday. The two were administered oath of office and secrecy in a brief ceremony by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
Khudian also gets given Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Dairy Development and Food Processing, while the Rural Development and Panchayats has been allocated to the Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.
Dhaliwal has now been given the charge of less important Administrative Reforms, while retaining NRI Affairs Department.
The Administrative Reforms Department was earlier with Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who has retained his Water Resources, Mines and Geology, Science and Technology, Sports and Youth Services, Conservation of Land and Water.
Induction of Khudian, who was dubbed as the giant-killer for defeating Punjab’s five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2022 assembly polls, in the Cabinet is said to be a far-sighted move of the ruling party to gain control of the key constituency in the Malwa region, especially after the senior Badal’s demise.
The party would project Khudian as the replacement of Badal, who was elected legislator from Lambi five times in a row. Notably, Khudian had a long stint in the Shiromani Akali Dal before he joined Congress in 2004. He resigned from Congress in July 2021 and joined AAP.
Another newly-inducted Minister, Balkar Singh, the first-timer, has been allotted Local Government and Parliamentary Affairs Departments — both held by Dr Nijjar. As the State Government is preparing for the elections to urban local bodies, the Local Government is being considered a significant department.
A former Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner of Police, Balkar Singh had joined AAP in July 2021 soon after he retired from the Punjab Police after 32 years of service. Only recently, SAD leader and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia had demanded registration of a criminal case against Balkar Singh for allegedly ‘falsely’ claiming that he has 50 per cent disability to secure a seat for his son as a Sub-Inspector in the police recruitment process.
Among all the action, the party has maintained a strategic silence over the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, who is facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has already asked the Punjab Government to inquire into the allegations of a Dalit man and send a report. But no action against Kataruchak gave indications that the matter holds no significance for the ruling party.
Against expectations that Kataruchak will be shown the exit door, it was Dr Nijjar who resigned (or made to resign) as Local Government Minister. Dr Nijjar has recently courted controversy for his comments on vigilance inquiry against the Editor-in-Chief of Ajit newspaper Dr Hamdard, stating that the senior journalist had nothing to do with the Jang-e-Azadi memorial funds.
Dr Nijjar, while talking with the media, had stated that if corruption took place, then the inquiry should be conducted against the contractor and others. He had stated that he personally held Dr Hamdard in high esteem.
The opposition is targeting AAP for vigilance action against Dr Hamdard, who was issued summons in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged misuse of funds in the execution of Rs 315-crore Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur in Jalandhar. Notably Dr Hamdard, being the member secretary of the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Foundation and as its managing committee president, had played a key role in the conception and construction of the project.
In his first Cabinet expansion, Mann had inducted 10 ministers on March 22, but had dropped Dr Vijay Singla from his Cabinet on May 24 last year, on corruption charges. On July 4 last year, Mann had inducted five new ministers, including Dr Nijjar, Aman Arora, Fauja Singh Sarari, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, and Anmol Gagan Mann; but dropped Sarari on January 7 this year on the allegatiosn of corruption while inducting Dr Balbir Singh as the Health Minister.
Punjab can have 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Currently, there are 16 Ministers in the Cabinet, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and two posts are still vacant.