Badal expands Ministry

CHANDIGARH, DEC. 24. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Prakash Singh Badal, today expanded his Cabinet by inducting a BJP member increasing the strength of his BJP-SAD coalition Ministry to 42. Mr. Satya Pal Saini of BJP was sworn in as a Minister of State at a simple function at the Raj Bhawan here.

With today's expansion, the fourth of the 44-month old Ministry, the Badal Ministry has become the largest in the State so far. The Ministry now has 31 Cabinet rank Ministers, including Mr. Badal and 11 Ministers of State. Of the 42, nine are from BJP and 33 from Shiromani Akali Dal. The expansion follows Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling unseating the Printing and Stationary Minister, Ms. Satwant Kaur Sandhu, as an MLA. Mr. Badal told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony that the new Minister would soon be alloted a portfolio but ruled out any reshuffling.

The Chief Minister had last expanded his Ministry on December 31 last year when he upgraded 10 Ministers of State to the Cabinet rank and inducted 10 as Ministers of State.

- PTI

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