Chandigarh May 15:
With around eight months left for Assembly elections in Punjab, the Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP ministry in the state will be expanded tomorrow to fill the vacancies caused by the resignation of all the five BJP Cabinet ministers in the wake of their alleged involvement in a Rs 1.5 crore-graft case.
Two Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) Sukhpal Singh Nanu and Arunesh Shakir had also resigned along with the five ministers at the asking of the BJP central leadership early this week. BJP sources said two ministers Tikshan Sud and Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who resigned on Thursday, are expected to be renominated for ministerial posts. Arunesh Shakir, who resigned as CPS, and two others Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain and a former minister Surjeet Kumar Jiyani, are expected to make it to the state Cabinet.
Meanwhile, an urgent meeting of the BJP Legislature Party (BJPLP) held here this evening elected Sud as the Leader of the BJPLP. His name was proposed and seconded by Kalia and Swarna Ram. Arunesh Shakir, who resigned as CPS two days back, was elected as the Deputy Leader of the BJPLP. His name was proposed by Mohan Lal, who resigned as Transport Minister. The BJP (19) and the SAD (50) with 69 members had formed the government in Punjab in 2007 wresting power from the Congress which could win only 42 seats.
With around eight months left for Assembly elections in Punjab, the Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP ministry in the state will be expanded tomorrow to fill the vacancies caused by the resignation of all the five BJP Cabinet ministers in the wake of their alleged involvement in a Rs 1.5 crore-graft case.
Two Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) Sukhpal Singh Nanu and Arunesh Shakir had also resigned along with the five ministers at the asking of the BJP central leadership early this week. BJP sources said two ministers Tikshan Sud and Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who resigned on Thursday, are expected to be renominated for ministerial posts. Arunesh Shakir, who resigned as CPS, and two others Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain and a former minister Surjeet Kumar Jiyani, are expected to make it to the state Cabinet.
Meanwhile, an urgent meeting of the BJP Legislature Party (BJPLP) held here this evening elected Sud as the Leader of the BJPLP. His name was proposed and seconded by Kalia and Swarna Ram. Arunesh Shakir, who resigned as CPS two days back, was elected as the Deputy Leader of the BJPLP. His name was proposed by Mohan Lal, who resigned as Transport Minister. The BJP (19) and the SAD (50) with 69 members had formed the government in Punjab in 2007 wresting power from the Congress which could win only 42 seats.
