The new ministers of Punjab will take oath in Chandigarhat 4.30 pm today. However, the Punjab Congress has once again caught itself ina crisis as six MLAs from Punjab’s Doaba region along with senior leader MohinderSingh KP have opposed Rana Gurjit Singh induction into the cabinet.
It is being learnt that these seven congress leaderswhich include Sukhpal Khair, Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Pawan Adya, Navtej Cheema,Bawa Henry, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal and Mohinder Singh KP have reportedlyraised objections over Rana Gurjit’s induction. They have written a letteropposing Rana Gurjit’s name to PPCC President Navjot Sidhu and is expected to meet him regarding the same.
Sources say that these MLAs have been opposing RanaGurjit’s name over his alleged involvement in sand mining case. In the letter, the congress leaders said, "RanaGurjit’s induction into the cabinet will affect party’s poll prospects as there is huge resentment amongst the public and the congress cadre due to his alleged involvement in the infamous mining scandal".
CM Charanjit Singh Channi kept talking to the Congresshigh command till late Saturday night regarding the new tussle. It was Channi’sfourth meeting with Rahul Gandhi since he took oath on Monday.
The new faces of the Channi cabinet have not beenofficially announced yet but if sources are to be believed as many as seven newfaces will take oath today as Cabinet Ministers.
The list of ministers has been finalized. Among the namesthat were stamped in the final list, eight were in the cabinet during theCaptain government and five, who are loyal to Captain Amarinder Singh, havebeen dropped.
Rana Gurjit was also a cabinet minister in former PunjabCM Captain Amarinder Singh’s cabinet, who was sacked from Amarinder Singh's cabinetover allegations of sand mining contracts in the names of his employees.
As per the sources, new entries in the Punjab cabinet areRaja Warring from Gidderbaha, three-time MLA from Amritsar -West Dr Raj KumarVerka, three-time MLA from Urmar Sangat Singh Gilzian, former minister and MLAfrom Jalandhar Cantt Pargat Singh, two-time MLA from Fatehgarh Sahib KuljitNagra, two-time MLA from Khanna Gurkirat Kotli and Former Irrigation Ministerand MLA from Kapurthala Rana Gurjit Singh.
Manpreet Badal, Vijayindra Singla, Razia Sultana, BrahmMohindra, Aruna Chaudhary, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Tript Rajinder Bajwa and SukhSarkaria, are likely to return to the cabinet.