File photo of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
According to the MLAs in Punjab, only 18 ministers including the Chief Minister can become ministers. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got the minister’s chair to 24 MLAs 7 times. Among them, 16 ministers including CM Bhagwant Mann are in the cabinet. At the same time, 8 MLAs made ministers
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There are also allegations of corruption on 2, but now they are discussed about getting a clean chit. However, the government or police did not say anything about this. At the same time, 9th minister Gurmeet Meet Hair had to leave the chair after being elected as an MP.
In 2022, AAP won 92 out of 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly elections. Since then, the AAP government has now made the formula to win the by -election for the Minister. First in Jalandhar, Mohinder Bhagat and now AAP’s stakes to make a minister in Ludhiana winning Sanjeev Arora in Ludhiana.
Recently, Tarn Taran MLA Kashmir Singh has passed away. In such a situation, 2 ministers are vacant in the Punjab cabinet with 16 ministers instead of 18. AAP can use the same formula there.
This discussion of distributing ministerial posts is recently happening after making Sanjeev Arora a minister and Kuldeep Dhaliwal removed from the post of minister. When AAP formed the government for the first time, only 10 ministers including CM were formed. Know the change in the AAP cabinet and which leaders were discharged from the post of minister …
- Reason: While being the Health Minister, Dr. Vijay Singla was accused of demanding 1% commission in contract cases. Taking the matter seriously, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann immediately dismissed him from the cabinet. This action was taken under the “Zero Tolerance” policy of Aam Aadmi Party’s corruption.
- Result: Dr. Singla was also arrested by Vigilance Bureau. This was the first major action taken in the case of corruption in an existing government, so that the government gave a clear message that it would not back down from strict action against its own ministers. This decision was seen as an example of political morality in the state. However, now the police has given a clean chit to Vijay Singla in this case.
- Reason: Fauja Singh Sarari, who was the Minister of Scheduled Castes Welfare and Food Processing Department, got into controversies due to an alleged audio clip which went viral on social media. In this audio, he was heard talking to a person, in which he was discussing the strategy to implicate political opponents in false cases. Although he denied the truth of the audio, the opposition parties launched a scathing attack on the government and demanded action on morality.
- Result: Between ever increasing controversy and public pressure, Sarari resigned on a moral ground on 7 January 2023. He may have dismissed the allegations against him outright, but resigned and deepened the matter. The government also appointed a new minister in his place and made it clear that the government will not tolerate any kind of negligence regarding image and purity. The matter came to light as an example of political morality versus crisis management within the ruling party.
- Reason: Inderbir Singh Nijjar, who was handling important departments like Municipal Body and Parliamentary Work, resigned from the post of minister on 31 May 2023 citing personal reasons. There was no allegation of any kind of public dispute, administrative lapse or corruption before his resignation. Because of this, his decision was seen as a sudden and peaceful change in political circles. There was no harsh comment from the government or party leadership about his resignation, which made it clear that the matter was completely related to internal consent.
- Result: After resigning, it was indicated that Nijjar can now play an organizational role in the party, especially towards strengthening the party in his field. Although he did not announce any active position, political analysts believe that this resignation could be a link to the party’s internal balance and administrative restructuring. This development was considered as an example of gentle and dignified postponement within the party.
- Reason: Brahma Shankar Jimppa, who was handling important portfolios like Revenue, Rehabilitation and Water Supply Department, was removed from the cabinet on 23 September 2024 as part of the cabinet reshuffle. Although no official reason was made public by the government, there was a discussion in the political corridors that there was dissatisfaction with the functioning of their departments and the government could not take the expected results from them. Especially criticism was coming up for their leadership in the field of water supply schemes and revenue reforms.
- Result: Despite being removed from the minister, Jimppa did not express any public rhetoric or disagreement and he is still active in the party as an MLA. His behavior was considered disciplined and organization-devoted in political circles. Some analysts believe that they may get any responsibility in the party organization in the future. This change was also considered a sign of functionality based evaluation and performance -focused cabinet policy by the government.
- Reason: Chetan Singh Jodamajra was included in the cabinet in July 2022 and was assigned the important department of the Minister of Health and Family Welfare. While a minister, he conducted a rampage of several hospitals and health institutions, one of which became very controversial. He forced a senior doctor to take shoes on the stage and go to the ward, whose video went viral on social media. The incident was seen as inhuman behavior with doctors and medical organizations expressed strong protest against it. Although he did not regret it, it became clear that his working style and attitude did not remain in accordance with the party’s policy.
- Result: He was removed from the post of minister on 23 September 2024 as part of the cabinet reshuffle. It was described by the government as a regular administrative change, but it was also clear that their behavior and dispute had become harmful for the image of the government. In his place, leaders of new and relatively quiet nature were placed in the cabinet, which sent a clear message that “strictness and performance” as well as “practical dignity” is equally important. He is still active as an MLA.
- Reason: Punjabi singer -turned -leader Anmol Gagan Mann was included in the cabinet by Bhagwant Mann in July 2022 as a young face and female representation. He was assigned the department of tourism and cultural affairs, which was an important portfolio related to the cultural identity and heritage of Punjab. However, his achievements were limited during the tenure and lack of concrete results in departmental works. At the time of the cabinet reshuffle, he was removed from the cabinet based on passive performance and lack of experience, although there was no public dispute.
- Result: Anmol Gagan Mann did not express any displeasure after being removed from the cabinet and remained active as a worker within the party. Political analysts believe that this change was under the government’s “Performance-based Assessment” policy, where young faces were given a chance, but also removed for not giving the expected results. However, some circles were also concerned about the lack of female representation.
- Reason: DCP retired Balkar Singh from Punjab Police was also included in the first cabinet expansion in July 2022 and was assigned an important department like the local body minister. Due to lack of expected speed and transparency in the works of urban development and municipalities, their department was criticized. His department proved weak in the preparations for the local body elections. Apart from this, the status of lack of collective leadership in departmental decisions and the situation of communication gap also became a question mark on his performance.
- Result: He was relieved at the time of cabinet reshuffle. There was no direct charge or dispute, but it was believed that the government decided to bring forward new thinking and leadership to strengthen the urban administration. Balkar Singh is still an MLA and is participating in party activities. He is expected to be given organizational role in the future.
- Reason: Gurmeet Singh Meet Hair came from Barnala for the second time in 2022. When the Aam Aadmi Party government was formed, he too joined the list of the Chief Minister’s top ten ministers. He had departments like school education, higher education and languages, sports and youth services. He was doing a good job. However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party declared him a candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur. He succeeded in winning the election by nearly one lakh votes, meeting the party’s expectations. Subsequently, he resigned from the Punjab Cabinet on 27 June 2024, while he resigned from the post of MLA on 19 June 2024.
While the AAP government was formed in 2022, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal was entrusted with the responsibility of important departments like Village Development and Panchayat, Water Supply and Sanitation, and NRI Affairs in the Punjab Government. During his tenure, he made headlines especially with efforts such as the Panchayat Department to free government land from illegal occupation, and start online NRI Millni Program. In the cabinet reshuffle held in May 2023, the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation was withdrawn in addition to Village Development and Panchayat. After this, the Administrative Reforms Department was abolished on 22 February 2025. This department did not exist for 20 months. After this, he only survived the NRI Affairs Department. However, this term did not last long. On July 3 this year, this post was also withdrawn from him. The post was taken from him to Sanjeev Arora, who was included in the cabinet. At the same time, his cabinet was discharged
- Reason: No negative reason was made public due to the resignation or removal of Dhaliwal. It was described as a general administrative reshuffle. But before this decision, Dhaliwal was accused by the BJP leader of Ludhiana that Dhaliwal has helped to save the drug addicts at the police station. But Dhaliwal described these allegations as unseen.
- Result: Dhaliwal denied any kind of displeasure or disagreement and said that he would continue to work closely with the party and the government as an MLA. He publicly stated that “serving and ending service – both is a matter of respect. This view was seen in political circles as” disciplined leadership “and” beyond personal ambitions to accept the party’s decision “. At a time when many leaders show resentment when they were removed, Dhaliwal’s attitude was considered to be a sign of the government’s internal stability and leadership.