The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government will induct new faces into its cabinet on Monday (September 23) after four ministers resigned on Sunday. Punjab's Water Supply, Sanitation, Revenue, and Disaster Management Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Information and Public Relations, Mining and Geology Minister Chetan Singh Jodamajra, Tourism Minister Anmol Gagan Mann, and Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh resigned from their posts. Their resignation was accepted by the Mann government and forwarded to the Governor with immediate effect.
The Punjab government announced that the cabinet expansion will take place this evening in which new faces will include Barinder Kumar Goyal, Taranpreet Singh Sond, Mahinder Bhagat, and Hardeep Singh Mundian.
- Barinder Goyal, MLA from Lehra Gaga, who defeated former Punjab Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
- Hardeep Singh Mundian, MLA from Sahnewal.
- Taranpreet Singh Sond, MLA from Khanna.
- Mahinder Bhagat, MLA from Jalandhar West.
This marks the fourth cabinet expansion under the Mann government.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria will administer the oath of office and secrecy to these four new ministers this evening. This will be Governor Kataria's first event to swear in new ministers since becoming Punjab's Governor. Notably, this is the fourth cabinet expansion in Bhagwant Mann's 30-month-old government. The Punjab Assembly has 117 members, and until now, the cabinet consisted of 15 ministers, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The council of ministers can have a total of 18 members. Mann has been in Delhi for several days, and after receiving approval from party convener Arvind Kejriwal following the changes in Delhi, the cabinet expansion was finalised on Monday.
