These are the profiles of five AAP MLAs who will be sworn in as Punjab ministers on Saturday.
Harpal Cheema
He is the MLA from Dirba, re-elected for the second term. An advocate by profession, he is considered close to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He was the Leader of Opposition in the previous term of Vidhan Sabha, and was known to raise public issues.
Dr Baljit Kaur
She is a first-time MLA, representing Malout. A doctor by profession, she is the daughter of former AAP MP Prof Sadhu Singh. She had left the government service to take a political plunge.
Dr Vijay Singla
A dentist by profession, he is also a first-time MLA, representing Mansa. He comes from a humble background and had been associated with the party for the past five years. He trounced Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in this election. Interestingly, the singer had once been the dentist’s patient.
Harbhajan Singh ETO
He is the MLA from Jandiala in Majha region. As is apparent, he was an Excise and Taxation Officer in the Punjab government before he took voluntary retirement. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 polls on an AAP ticket, but this time round he won with a good margin.
Harjot Singh Bains
He has been a founder member of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab. Representing Anandpur Sahib, he is highly educated, having completed his education from London School of Economics. He was involved in the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare.
Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, 32
Son of a PSPCL employee, Meet Hayer studied in Barnala’s BGS Public School. He is a mechanical engineer by profession and was one of the first few people who became active with beginning of India against Corruption movement. In 2017, by defeating Congress leader Kewal Dhillon, he became one of the youngest MLAs in Punjab assembly at the age of 27. He is also president of the youth wing of the party.
Lal Chand Kataruchak, 52
Lal Chand Kataruchak was earlier active with the CPM. Two decades back, when Mangat Ram Pasla split from the CPM and formed his own Punjab-based party, Lal Chand joiner Pasla. In the 2017 election, Lal Chand contested from Bhoa as a Revolutionary Marxist Party of India candidate and lost. In 2022, he won from the seat as an AAP candidate. For years, he has been fighting against illegal mining.
Laljit Singh Bhullar, 41
Braham Shankar Jimpa, 57
Braham Shankar Jimpa became an MLA from Hoshiarpur by defeating former industry minister Sunder Sham Arora. He is 12th pass. He was vice chairman of Punjab Industry Development Board. He started his political career with the Congress and remained councillor in municipal committee, Hoshiarpur. He was denied the Congress ticket in local bodies election but contested independently and won.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who became MLA from Ajnala, is a farmer by profession. He is a matriculate. He spent some time in the US before coming back to India in 2014. He has been practising farming since. He contested the Lok Sabha in 2019 as AAP candidate from Khadoor Sahib. He later became district president of AAP. He contested assembly election for the first time from Ajnala and won.
