Ludhiana West MLA Sanjeev Arora on Thursday took oath as a Punjab Cabinet Minister in Raj Bhawan. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Punjab Cabinet will undergo expansion. Sanjeev Arora's induction in the Punjab Cabinet comes after AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal promised the voters of Ludhiana West that the industrialist will be given a Ministerial position in the Punjab Government if he wins the By-election.
There is a buzz that the allocation of portfolios will be completed by this evening. There is strong speculation that Arora, who is known to be associated with the urban community, may be given charge of the Industries and Housing Ministry.
However, concerns over potential conflict of interest may lead the government to consider appointing him as the new Minister of NRI Affairs instead. Currently, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal is the Minister of NRI Affairs of Punjab.
While the final decision on the portfolios remains pending, it is clear that the AAP leadership is aiming to assign Arora a significant and impactful role in the cabinet. The reshuffle is being termed as a “minor” one, but is likely to carry political implications in the days to come.