Punjab cabinet expansion in 2-4 days, Sanjeev Arora to be inducted as minister: CM Mann

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said a cabinet expansion would take place in two to four days and Ludhiana West assembly bypoll winner Sanjeev Arora would be inducted as a minister.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) retained the Ludhiana West seat in the recent bypoll, with Arora registering a victory against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu by a margin of 10,637 votes.

Arora secured 35,179 votes while Ashu got 24,542 votes. BJP's Jiwan Gupta polled 20,323 votes while Shiromani Akali Dal nominee Parupkar Singh Ghuman received 8,203 votes, losing his security deposit.

The June 19 bypoll was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. The result was announced on Monday.

Responding to a query on cabinet expansion during an interaction with reporters after meeting the governor on Tuesday, Mann said it will take place in two to four days.

He said the AAP had promised the voters of the Ludhiana West seat that if they elected Sanjeev Arora, he would be made a minister.

Asked if there will be changes in the cabinet or in portfolios, he said there is no such thing.

At present, there are 16 ministers in the cabinet, including the chief minister. The Punjab cabinet can have up to 18 ministers.

The AAP government carried out its last cabinet rejig in September when it inducted five ministers after dropping four existing ministers.

Post his bypoll win, Arora will now resign as a Rajya Sabha member.

When asked who will be sent to the Rajya Sabha in place of Arora, Mann said, "Let us think over it. It should be someone who can effectively raise Punjab's issues."

Earlier, AAP supremo and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had clarified that he would not go to the Rajya Sabha.

Mann said he will visit Delhi on Wednesday where the party will thank the public mandate in the bypolls in Punjab and Gujarat.

In Gujarat's Junagadh district, former AAP state president Gopal Italia emerged victorious in Visavadar, defeating BJP's Kirit Patel by 17,554 votes.

"These victories reflect the people's trust in the AAP's honest governance and the hard work of our leaders and workers," Mann said.

Replying to a question on "factionalism" in the Congress, Mann took potshots at the grand old party, alleging it was riddled with internal conflicts and factionalism, which was evident during the bypoll.

A divided house cannot serve the people effectively, he said.

In a sharp critique of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mann urged Akali leaders to reassess their role in Punjab politics.

"The Akali Dal has been repeatedly rejected by the people. Their candidates are losing deposits and their influence is diminishing. Not just the Badal family, it may be time for the Akali Dal to reconsider their role in electoral politics," he said.

Highlighting the government's proactive measures to support farmers, Mann mentioned advancements in paddy transplantation schedules to address moisture loss and improve procurement timelines.

"We have ensured uninterrupted electricity supply, adequate canal water, and advanced the procurement timeline to benefit farmers," he noted.