Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) newly-elected Ludhiana West MLA Sanjeev Arora was inducted into the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday, entrusted with the key portfolios of Industry and NRI Affairs, marking the seventh expansion of the Bhagwant Mann-led government in just over three years. Arora’s inclusion, a fulfilment of a public promise made during the Ludhiana West bypoll campaign, came at the cost of senior Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who relinquished charge of the NRI Affairs Department following directions from the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The reshuffle comes barely two days after Arora formally resigned from his Rajya Sabha seat — a move that has now left one of AAP’s five Upper House berths from Punjab vacant. Political circles are abuzz with speculation that this development might pave the way for AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to enter the Parliament via Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, the Industry Department, earlier under Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, has also been reassigned to Arora, consolidating his position as a key player in the Mann Cabinet.
The oath-taking ceremony was held at Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh, with Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administering the oath of office and secrecy. Clad in AAP’s symbolic yellow kurta-payjama, Arora took his oath in chaste Punjabi. The ceremony lasted barely eight minutes but was significant in political symbolism, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, his wife Gurpreet Kaur Mann, senior bureaucrats, and Ministers in attendance.
Arora’s entry into the Cabinet follows his by-election victory from Ludhiana West, a seat rendered vacant after the tragic demise of sitting MLA Gurpreet Gogi earlier this year. Arora, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha to contest the bypoll, had received overwhelming public support after CM Mann and Kejriwal promised to make him a Minister if elected. He won the seat with a margin of 10,637 votes over Congress candidate and former Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
Reacting to his removal from the Cabinet, former Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal confirmed that he stepped down on the Chief Minister’s request. “CM Bhagwant Mann told me that someone else should get a chance. I agreed and submitted my resignation. I am not part of any tussle over departments,” Dhaliwal said during a press interaction. Acknowledging the transition with grace, he said: “I have always been a loyal soldier of the party. I didn't even take a single day off in the last ten years. I will now devote all my energy to my constituency Ajnala.”
In an emotionally-charged statement, Dhaliwal reiterated his simplicity and commitment to Punjab. “I haven’t stepped into a five-star hotel in the last three years. I left my child behind in the US to work for Punjab’s welfare. Positions don’t matter to me; Punjab does. I’ve delivered 100 percent in the time I was entrusted with responsibility,” he added. He also underlined his longstanding ties with CM Mann and Kejriwal, recalling that it was Mann’s friendship and Kejriwal’s vision that drew him back from the United States.
With Arora’s induction and Dhaliwal’s exit, the Mann Cabinet now has 16 ministers, leaving one berth still unfilled. Notably, this is the seventh cabinet reshuffle since the AAP came to power in March 2022 — reflecting a dynamic but turbulent governance style, often marked by quick appointments and equally swift exits.
Since taking office in March 2022, the Mann Government in Punjab has undertaken seven cabinet expansions and reshuffles in just over three years, reflecting both administrative dynamism and political recalibration. The first major shake-up came in May 2022 when Health Minister Vijay Singla was dismissed over corruption charges.
Just two months later, in July 2022, five new Ministers were inducted to strengthen the government’s outreach and governance footprint. In January 2023, Dr Balbir Singh was given charge of the Health Ministry following the resignation of Fauja Singh Sarari. Another reshuffle occurred in May 2023, when Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar stepped down due to personal reasons, paving the way for Balkaar Singh and Gurmeet Singh Khudian to enter the Cabinet.
A significant overhaul in September 2024 saw the inclusion of Hardeep Singh Mundian, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, Dr Ravjot Singh, and Mohinder Bhagat, while four ministers — Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Balkar Singh, and Anmol Gagan Mann — were shown the door.
The latest expansion in July 2025 brought Sanjeev Arora into the Cabinet as the 17th Minister, although with the exit of Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, the total ministerial strength remains at 16, leaving one berth still vacant.
Amid shifting political calculations, AAP, it seems, has tactically left one Cabinet berth vacant, opting to fill only a single ministerial slot for now. According to the party insiders, the move is linked to the upcoming by-election in Tarn Taran, necessitated by the demise of sitting MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal.
Sources maintained that the party aims to leverage the vacant Cabinet seat as a strategic incentive for voters, with plans to assure the electorate that if the AAP candidate wins, their representative will be elevated to ministerial rank.
Arora’s elevation to the Cabinet marked a strategic move by AAP to inject corporate acumen and philanthropic ethos into governance. A prominent industrialist-turned-politician, Arora brings with him decades of business experience and social commitment. He heads Ritesh Industries Limted – a leading textile export firm, and Hampton Sky Realty Limited, alongside founding Femella Fashions – a women’s apparel brand, and Teneron Limited – a manufacturer of non-ferrous alloys that supplies to industry giants like Suzuki.
His philanthropic footprint is equally impressive — he established the Krishna Pran Breast Cancer Charitable Trust in 2005 in memory of his cancer-stricken parents, supporting hundreds of patients since. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Arora was actively involved in relief efforts and extended support to critical medical institutions such as Dayanand Medical College.
Now entrusted with the Industry and NRI Affairs portfolios, Arora is expected to play a pivotal role in accelerating Punjab’s industrial revival and reconnecting with the global Punjabi diaspora. His appointment is also seen as a reflection of AAP’s larger intent to leverage professional expertise and technocratic profiles to enhance administrative effectiveness.
