Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal designation is considered the closest to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and was “downsized” in today’s reshuffle, with two new swearing in and one removed from the Cabinet.
By Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Balkar Singh were sworn in as Cabinet ministers. Dhaliwal was relieved of both his key departments of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The administration is getting ready to introduce a new agriculture policy in June and to launch an initiative to release encroached panchayat land across the state on Thursday when it removes crucial responsibilities from Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal's portfolio has been reduced to only NRI Affairs and Administrative Reforms Departments, while the newly appointed minister, Khudian, will oversee the Agriculture Department. The Rural Development Department has been assigned to Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.
Dhaliwal's downsizing follows the recent "resignation" of another minister, Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, which occurred late last night.
Interestingly, considering the upcoming elections for the SGPC, Nijjar, who is also the head of Chief Khalsa Diwan, may be asked to lead the party in the Sikh parliament polls, competing against SAD.
The party has not provided any official explanation for the changes in Dhaliwal's portfolio, leading to speculation within political circles. While party sources consider it a routine reshuffling, some believe that complaints made to Mann and other senior party members could be the reason for Dhaliwal being relieved of his previous responsibilities.
Another theory is that Dhaliwal's growing influence, particularly through his efforts in freeing government land, might have caused unease among his superiors.
Balkar, who played a crucial role in securing the ruling party's victory in the Jalandhar parliamentary by election, has been rewarded with a Cabinet position overseeing the significant Local Government Department. As the upcoming local body elections approach, the Local Government Department plays a vital role in policy-making and management.
Khudian, who gained fame for defeating the late Parkash Singh Badal, has been entrusted with the Agriculture Department, a significant responsibility as the ruling party focuses on strengthening its support in rural areas for the upcoming zila parishad and panchayat elections.
Additionally, Khudian will oversee the Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Food Processing Departments.
In another development, Gurmeet Singh Met Hayer, the Minister for Mines and Sports, who has been given the additional responsibility of the Conservation of Land and Water Department, which was previously held by Nijjar. With the recent expansion, Punjab now has a total of 16 ministers, including the Chief Minister.
