Punjab: Former MP Sanjeev Arora's entry in Bhagwant Maan cabinet, sworn in as minister today

Sanjeev Arora with Bhagwant Mann

The cabinet of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Bhagwant Mann was expanded in Punjab on Thursday. Sanjeev Arora, who won the by -election in Ludhiana West Assembly seat under cabinet expansion, has been made a minister. Apart from Arora, no other MLA was sworn in as a minister.

Maan cabinet was expanded at Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. In today's cabinet expansion, former Rajya Sabha MP and recently elected MLA Sanjeev Arora was made a minister. It is being said that by this evening, the notification of the cabinet departments will be renewed will be issued.

A total of 17 ministers in Bhagwant Maan cabinet now

With this detail, there have been 17 ministers including the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann) in the Punjab cabinet. There can be 18 ministers in the cabinet. Bhagwant Mann was led by the government in September last year when it included 5 new ministers after removing 4 ministers.

Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath of office and secrecy at a function at Raj Bhavan this afternoon. Arora resigned from a Rajya Sabha membership on July 1 (Tuesday) after winning the by -election held last month in Ludhiana West Assembly seat of Punjab. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar accepted his resignation.

Win in by -election last month

On June 19, in the by -election held in Arora Ludhiana West Assembly seat, Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu was defeated by 10,637 votes in an easy contest. After the death of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January, this seat was vacant, due to which the by -election was held here.

Earlier, Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal had said during campaigning in the by -election that if Sanjeev Arora was elected MLA, he will be made a minister. Sanjeev Arora, who became the first MP for the first time, was elected from Punjab to Rajya Sabha on 10 April 2022, his term was till 9 April 2028.