Punjab: CM Bhagwant Mann reshuffles cabinet, Governor gives approval

Punjab Governor approves CM Bhagwant Mann's cabinet reshuffle, allocating Industries & Commerce to Aman Arora, Power to Tarunpreet Singh Sond, and Local Government to Harjot Singh Bains, amidst significant political churn in the state.

Punjab Cabinet Reshuffled

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has approved the reallocation of key ministerial portfolios in the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. According to the official notification issued from the Chief Minister's Office, the Department of Industries & Commerce and Investment Promotion has been allocated to Cabinet Minister Aman Arora. The Power Department has been assigned to Tarunpreet Singh Sond, while the Local Government Department has been given to Harjot Singh Bains in addition to their existing portfolios.

The proposal for the reshuffle was sent by the Chief Minister to the Governor on May 10, seeking approval for the changes in departmental allocations among members of the Council of Ministers. Governor Kataria, in his approval letter dated May 11, 2026, stated that he had approved the allocation of portfolios as proposed by the Chief Minister. The notification further said that the remaining portfolios already allocated to Cabinet Ministers would remain unchanged.

Political Turmoil and Defections

The development comes amid significant political churn in Punjab, marked by a series of party switches and heightened Centre-state political tensions. Recently, Gyan Singh Mann, cousin of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar.

In the past few weeks, several former MPs and political leaders have also joined the BJP, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, who were earlier associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Others, including Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal, have also aligned with the BJP, signalling a broader reshuffle in Punjab's political landscape.

CM Alleges Misuse of Central Agencies

Following these developments, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been targeting opposition leaders using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax Department.

His remarks came after ED action against Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with an alleged Rs 100 crore money laundering case linked to suspected fraudulent GST transactions. The agency had conducted searches across multiple locations in Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh before making the arrest. The ED case and subsequent political reactions have further intensified the already charged atmosphere in Punjab politics, with both ruling and opposition parties trading allegations over the use of investigative agencies for political purposes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)