Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann likely to expand cabinet on Monday

The swearing-in ceremony will occur at 5 pm on Monday at Punjab Raj Bhawan.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will expand his cabinet on July 4 by appointing five new MLAs as ministers per party sources on Sunday.

Following the official here, the swearing-in ceremony will occur at 5 pm on Monday at Punjab Raj Bhawan.

It will be the Bhagwant Mann-led government's first cabinet expansion since the Aam Aadmi Party swept to power in Punjab more than three months ago.

With the addition of five new ministers, Mann's cabinet will have 15 members, including the chief minister.

Several MLAs, including Aman Arora, a two-time MLA from Sunam, Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, a two-time MLA from Jagraon, Baljinder Kaur, a two-time MLA from Talwandi Sabo, Budh Ram, a two-time MLA from Budhlada, Inderbir Singh Nijjar, an MLA from Amritsar South, and Anmol Gagan Mann, a legislator from Kharar, are among those.

However, there has been no word from the party on which MLAs will be appointed ministers as part of the cabinet expansion.

Following the AAP's resounding victory in the 2022 assembly elections, 10 MLAs were appointed ministers in Mann's cabinet. The cabinet has 18 members, including the chief minister. Mann's cabinet currently consists of nine ministers.

Health Minister Vijay Singla was fired from the state cabinet in May after being charged with graft.

During the state assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party swept to power with 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha.