The New Punjab Cabinet: Congress Does Well In The Face Of Many Problems
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2021-09-27 11:20:06
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Finally, after much drama, the Congress high command managed to swear-in 15 MLAs as ministers in Punjab. The new cabinet includes 7 new faces and many ministers in the previous cabinet have been dropped. The exercise was done keeping in mind social equations as well as maybe the wishes of both Navjot Singh Sidhu and Capt. Amarinder Singh. But in the end, there was much drama with a last minute replacement, perhaps to keep dissent in check and ruffle as less feathers as possible.
Although the list was finalized and the swearing-in ceremony was about to begin, there was a last-minute replacement when Amloh MLA Randeep Singh Nabha was inducted in place of Sidhu-loyalist Kuljit Singh Nagra. But on the other hand, the high command chose to ignore strong opposition to the appointment of Rana Gurjit Singh. Since the Doaba region was under-represented and despite being 'tainted', Rana Gurjit Singh is a senior party member and is close to the high command, the party chose to ignore protests by several senior MLAs and gave him a cabinet berth.
Two loyalists of Capt. Amarinder Singh - Brahma Mohindra and Vijay Inder Singla - have found a place in the new cabinet while several other ministers have been dropped. According to Harish Rawat, who has been looking after Punjab affairs for the party, young blood has been inducted while maintaining social and regional balance. It is clear that the party wants to retrieve the situation that has gone out of hand after complaints about the disconnect with the MLA's and the people during the rule of Amarinder Singh. It wants to contest the forthcoming elections under a new team, both in the government as well as the PCC.
It remains to be seen how Amarinder Singh responds and what stand the other factions in the state Congress take. For the government and the party to function smoothly and get ready for the battle ahead, it is necessary to carry all factions. At least two former ministers were disgruntled over their removal. Although Harish Rawat said that those not in the cabinet will be given other responsibilities in the government or in the party, the high command will have to tackle this at the earliest as it can snowball into a huge crisis. But the 15-member cabinet is a good beginning in the face of the many problems that the party faces in the state.
