Punjab Cabinet expansion in limbo amid flurry of meetings

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi left for Delhi from the Chandigarh airport on Wednesday accompanied by former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar. Many eyebrows have been raised over Jakhar's visit to Delhi with Rahul and Priyanka in view of the expansion of the Punjab Cabinet

Chandigarh:Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is struggling to name his cabinet ministers even three days after his swearing-in ceremony, and flurry of meetings with the top brass in the Congress party. Speculations are rife over the names of ministers as there is no clear picture of who will be included in the new cabinet of ministers.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi left for Delhi from the Chandigarh airport on Wednesday accompanied by former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar. Many eyebrows have been raised over Jakhar's visit to Delhi with Rahul and Priyanka in view of the expansion of the Punjab Cabinet.

A day after the swearing-in, the newly-appointed Chief Minister Channi, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu went to Delhi to discuss the cabinet expansion with the party's top brass.

Soon after meeting Congress general secretary in-charge KC Venugopal and Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat in the national capital, the Congress released a list of new, additional office-bearers for the Punjab unit, including Sidhu's close associates Pargat Singh and Yogendra Pal Dhingra have been appointed as general secretaries while Gulzar Inder Chahal as treasurer.

The new list is significant as the wings of the loyalists of Capt Amarinder Singh, who were cornered by the party high command, will be clipped by the new chief minister.

According to sources, during his visit to Delhi on Tuesday, Chief Minister Channi handed over the list to the high command, listing the names of those who have secured seats in the Cabinet.

According to reliable sources, Brahma Mahindra, who was initially announced by the Congress as one of the Deputy Chief Ministers, may be removed from the Cabinet, along with Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi while Amarinder Singh Raja, Pargat Singh, Inderveer Bularia, Sangat Singh Giljian, Gurkirat Kotli and Rajkumar Verka could be included in the Cabinet.