Badal becomes Punjab CM with 17 ministers in team
All the ministers, which included a woman representative each of SAD and BJP, have been given cabinet rank.
By PTI |
MOHALI: After leading his alliance to a stunning victory in the elections, Punjab veteran Parkash Singh Badal on Friday took over as Chief Minister for a record fourth time at the head of an 18-member Akali Dal-BJP coalition ministry.
Badal and the other ministers were sworn in at a public function at the cricket stadium here in front of thousands of supporters of both the parties by Governor S F Rodrigues, who administered the oath of office and secrecy to them.
All the ministers, which included a woman representative each of SAD and BJP, have been given cabinet rank.
Four of his relatives have been inducted into the ministry by Badal, who has tried to bring in experience and youth in the ministry.
The relatives are: his son-in-law Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, nephew Manpreet Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir's brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia and another close relative Janmeja Singh Sekhon.
No Deputy Chief Minister has been appointed as was speculated by the media, which said BJP may demand the post in view of its good showing and the fact that Akali Dal does not have a majority of its own.
No Minister of State has been appointed as the Chief Minister has exhausted the quota of 17 ministers allowed under the Constitution which restricts the size of the ministry to 15 per cent of the Assembly strength. The Punjab House has a strength of 117 members.
His predecessor Amarinder Singh led a two-tier ministry - 15 cabinet rank, including the Chief Minister and a Deputy Chief Minister and three Ministers of State.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
