Ten AAP MLAs, including a woman, were inducted in the Bhagwant Mann-led Cabinet in Punjab on Saturday.
The ministers took the oath of offices at a swearing-in ceremony in Chandigarh at Raj Bhawan. The oath was administered by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
Harpal Singh Cheema, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Dr Vijay Singla, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Harjot Singh Bains and Dr Baljit Kaur, the lone woman in the cabinet, were administered the oath.
Earlier, on March 17, Punjab's newly-elected MLAs, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, took oath as members of the Legislative Assembly. The legislators were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Protem Speaker Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar.
The AAP leader and the party's face for recently held Punjab Assembly polls Bhagwant Mann took oath as the Chief Minister of the state on March 16.
The AAP recorded a landslide victory in the recently concluded Punjab Assembly polls winning 92 seats, sidelining most of its rivals.
All you need to know about the 10 ministers who took the oath on Saturday:
Dr Baljit Kaur:
Dr Baljit Kaur, 46, who won from Malout seat is an eye surgeon. She happens is lone woman to have found a ministerial berth. The daughter of former AAP MP Sadhu Singh had joined the party after resigning from her job at Muktsar civil hospital. During poll meetings, she had even examined eye patients.
Harpal Singh Cheema:
Harpal Singh Cheema is a two-time legislator from Dirba and the party's Dalit face. He had been the Leader of the Opposition in the previous assembly. An advocate by profession, Cheema defeated Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Gulzar Singh Moonak from the Dirba assembly seat. He was first elected as an MLA in 2017 and also served as a member of the Assembly committee on welfare of SCs, STs and BCs.
Harbhajan Singh ETO:
Harbhajan Singh ETO won from Jandiala after defeating Punjab Congress working president Sukhwinder Singh Danny. Harbhajan Singh had unsuccessfully contested from Jandiala seat in 2017. He joined AAP in 2017.
Dr Vijay Singla:
A dentist by profession, Vijay Singla (52) won from Mansa seat after defeating popular Punjabi singer and Congress candidate from Mansa Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moosewala. Singla is a dentist and did Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Punjabi University, Patiala.
Lal Chand Kataruchak:
He got elected from the Bhoa seat in Pathankot defeating Congress candidate Joginder Pal. Lal Chand Kataruchak is a social worker.
Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer:
He defeated SAD nominee Kulwant Singh Keetu by a margin of 37,622 votes from Barnala seat. Two-time Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer is the president of the AAP's youth wing.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal:
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal was elected Ajnala assembly seat. He defeated SAD candidate Amarpal Singh. He joined AAP seven years ago.
Laljit Singh Bhullar:
Laljit Singh Bhullar was elected from the Patti seat. He defeated political stalwart Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, who is the son-in-law of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Bhullar joined AAP in 2019. According to reports, he has worked as an agent in the grain market in Patti.
Bram Shanker Jimpa:
Bram Shanker Jimpa has been elected from Hoshiarpur seat. He defeated former minister and Congress nominee Sunder Sham Arora.
Harjot Singh Bains:
Harjot Bains has been elected from Anandpur Sahib. He defeated former Speaker and Congress candidate Rana K P Singh. An advocate by profession, he had unsuccessfully contested from the Sahnewal assembly seat in 2017.
