Amarinder may expand his Cabinet in July 2nd week

Wednesday, 28/06/2017

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=178049&boxid=58991&uid=&dat=2017-06-28

Chandigarh : After passing the Budget and presenting white paper on the fiscal position of the state, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is set to expand his council of ministers in the second week of July.

Highly-placed sources revealed that the CM is expected to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on this issue in July. Though the duo had already had a discussion in a meeting earlier this month on the names to be inducted in Cabinet, yet Amarinder Singh will again meet Rahul Gandhi and also discuss on the party’s possible candidate for Gurdaspur by elections. The death of BJP MP and veteran actor Vinod Khanna has put Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency on election mode.

In the first week of June, Captain Amarinder Singh had a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and discussed on the Cabinet expansion issue.

At present, seven more ministers would accommodated in the Cabinet and the CM is trying to adjust the MLAs so that every section could be given adequate representation.

Since the Vidhan Sabha Session started from June 14 and Captain Amarinder Singh’s plan to expand his ministry could not materialise. After the Assembly session, now he is focusing on expansion of the Cabinet.

The Cabinet, at present, has nine ministers excluding Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is holding a number of portfolios.

The MLAs who are seeking elevation as ministers are busy in lobbying for berth in the Cabinet council.

Sources disclosed that the names of MLAs who will be made ministers, have almost been fanalised. The MLAs who could be elevated include Raja Warring from Gidderbaha assembly constituency, Gurmeet Singh Sodhi MLA Guruharsahai, Raj Kumar Verka, from Amritsar (West), Balbir Singh Sidhu, Mohali, O P Soni, from Amritsar (Central), Vijay Inder Singla (Sangrur), Kuljit Singh Nagra (Fatehgarh Sahib), Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (Dera Baba Nanak), Sangat Singh Gilzian (Tanda Urmar) and Olympian Pargat Singh, who after quitting Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) joined the Congress before Vidhan Sabha elections and was elected from Jalandhar Cantonment seat.

It is learnt that Rana Gurjit Singh, who is embroiled in the sand mining and ‘benami bids’ controversies, may lose his portfolios - Power and Irrigation Ministries.

A reshuffle in the portfolios of the sitting Ministers is also on the cards, it is learnt.