10 ministers in Bhagwant Mann cabinet take oath amid huge expectations

At Saturday's event, the MLAs - taking oath as ministers - were photographed with their families.

Ten Punjab ministers in Bhagwant Mann's cabinet took oath on Saturday at a grand event in Chandigarh. Mann, 48, was sworn in as the 17th chief minister of Punjab on Wednesday in a huge ceremony at Khatkar Kalan, freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's ancestral village. He revealed the names of the 10 ministers in the new Punjab cabinet on Friday in a tweet. The new ministers will be expected to fulfil the big promises by the Aam Aadmi Party, which has been voted to power with 92 of 117 assembly seats.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann revealed the names of 10 ministers on Saturday. Photo by Sanjeev Sharma, Hindustan Times(Hindustan Times)

At Saturday's event, the MLAs - who arrived for the oath ceremony - were photographed with their families. Mann's daughter Seerat Kaur and son Dilshan Mann also attended the event in Chandigarh. They were seen waving to the cameras. The chief minister - in line with the AAP motto - has promised a corruption-free state.

Dirba MLA Harpal Cheema, Mansa MLA Dr Vijay Singla, Brahm Shankar Jimpa - elected from Hoshiarpur, Jandiala lawmaker Harbhajan Singh and Anandpur Sahib legislator Harjot Singh were among those who attended the event with their families. The new cabinet ministers are said to belong to different professions. Dr Baljit Kaur, the MLA from Malaut, is the only female minister among those sworn in on Saturday. Lal Chand, who won from the Bhoa seat, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, elected from Ajnala, Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, and Patti legislator Laljit Singh Bhullar are other leaders who constitute the Mann cabinet.

Harpal Singh Cheema was the first leader to take oath of office as the event began at 11.10 am. Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh, Dr Vijay Singla and others were sworn in next. It's a lean cabinet with 10 ministers as there are a total of 18 berths, including that of the CM.

Ahead of the oath ceremony, Mann tweeted on Friday in Hindi and Punjabi: “Punjab's new cabinet will be sworn in tomorrow. Big congratulations to all ministers taking oath in the AAP goverment. The people of the state have given us a huge responsibilty. We have to work day and night to serve them... we have to work for an honest governance.” 

He also launched an anti-corruption helpline earlier this week.