Chandigarh: The Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab will induct ten ministers into the cabinet on March 19, officials said on Friday. The swearing-in ceremony of Mann's cabinet will be held at Punjab Raj Bhawan on Saturday at 11 am, they said.
The list includes Harpal Singh Cheema, second-time legislator from Dirba and the party's Dalit face. Cheema was also the Leader of the Opposition in the previous Assembly. Two-time Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer will also be inducted in the Mann-led cabinet.
Other MLAs include Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh from Jandiala, Dr Vijay Singla from Mansa, Lal Chand from Bhoa, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Laljit Singh Bhullar from Patti, Brahm Shanker from Hoshiarpur and Harjot Bains from Anandpur Sahib.
A majority of the cabinet ministers are from the Malwa region, while many new faces have also been inducted into the Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet. There are 18 berths in the cabinet, including the chief minister. After their oath-taking, the newly inducted ministers will assume charge in the Punjab Civil Secretariat and the first cabinet meeting of the AAP dispensation will be held in on the same day at 12.30 pm.
Also read: Bhagwant Mann takes oath as 17th Chief Minister of Punjab
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit had on Wednesday administered the oath of office and secrecy to Bhagwant Mann in the swearing-in ceremony at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Punjab's Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district. The Aam Aadmi Party swept the Assembly elections with 92 seats in the 117-member assembly.
(With agency inputs)
