Punjab: Ex-cop and first-time MLA who defeated Parkash Singh Badal join ministry

Gurmeet Singh Khudian was allocated agriculture and farmers’ welfare, animal husbandry, fisheries, dairy development and food processing portfolios. 

Balkar Singh was allocated local government and parliamentary affairs portfolios. 

Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at the Raj Bhavan here. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present.

With the induction of two new ministers and resignation of Nijjar, the strength of the cabinet is 16. There are a total of 18 berths in the cabinet.

It is the third cabinet expansion of the 14-month old Mann-led government in Punjab. In July 2022, the Bhagwant Mann government had carried out its first cabinet expansion, inducting five party legislators.

In January this year, senior AAP leader and Patiala Rural MLA Dr Balbir Singh was sworn-in as cabinet minister, after Fauja Singh Sarari tendered his resignation.

Punjab Cabinet Reshuffle

Earlier, agriculture and farmers’ welfare portfolio was with Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.

Dhaliwal, who is also holding NRI Affairs, has been given administrative reforms in the reshuffle of portfolios.

Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who holds water resources, mines and geology, science, technology and environment, sports and youth services portfolios, has been given conservation of land and water department.

Laljit Singh Bhullar, who is holding the transport department, has been given rural development and panchayats which was earlier held by Dhaliwal.

Bhullar was also earlier holding animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development and food processing, which has now been given to Khudian.

Inderbir Singh Nijjar, who on Tuesday resigned as minister, was earlier holding local government, parliamentary affairs, conservation of land and water and administrative reforms.

Who is Gurmeet Singh Khudian?

Khudian, 60, is legislator from Lambi seat in Muktsar. He was the party’s giant slayer who defeated five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal from his home turf by a margin of 11,396 votes in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls.

Khudian, the first-time MLA, had joined the AAP after quitting the Congress in 2021.

Who is Balkar Singh?

Balkar Singh, 60, is an MLA from Kartarpur reserved seat in Jalandhar. Singh, a former police officer, had joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2021 after he retired from the Punjab Police. Singh is also the first time legislator.

Updated: 31 May 2023, 05:57 PM IST