In a strategic move ahead of crucial municipal elections, the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab has reallocated key ministerial portfolios, further elevating its industrialist-turned-politician Sanjeev Arora. The most significant change involves Arora being given charge of the crucial Local Government department, adding to his already substantial responsibilities.
A Strategic Consolidation of Power
This minor cabinet reshuffle sees Sanjeev Arora's position within the Punjab Cabinet significantly consolidated. He will now oversee the Industries, Power, and Local Government departments—three of the state's most vital administrative areas. The Local Government portfolio was previously held by Ravjot Singh, who has now been assigned the NRI Affairs department.
Political observers view this consolidation as a tactical shift by the ruling AAP. By streamlining industrial growth, power management, and local administration under a single minister, the government appears focused on ensuring coordinated and visible results for voters. This move comes just before the "litmus test" of the upcoming civic body polls, which are seen as a key precursor to the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Sanjeev Arora's Rapid Political Ascent
Sanjeev Arora's political trajectory has been notably swift. He entered politics in April 2022 as a Rajya Sabha MP from the AAP. His shift to state politics began in February 2025 when he was nominated as the party's candidate for the Ludhiana West Assembly by-election.
After winning the seat on June 23, 2025, he resigned from the Rajya Sabha and was sworn in as a Punjab Cabinet Minister on July 3, 2025. Upon induction, he was immediately allocated three major portfolios: Industries and Commerce, Investment Promotion, and NRI Affairs. These were taken from ministers Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal. His responsibilities expanded in August 2025 when the Power department was transferred to him from Minister Harbhajan Singh.
The High-Stakes Civic Election Cycle
The portfolio reallocation is directly linked to the impending elections for numerous urban local bodies across Punjab. Polls are expected for nine municipal corporations, including Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Bathinda, Batala, Kapurthala, Abohar, Pathankot, and the newly upgraded Barnala.
Additionally, elections will be held for 116 municipal councils and nagar panchayats. The State Election Commission is finalizing the schedule after the Local Bodies Department completed the ward delimitation process and forwarded its proposal.
The ruling AAP will be looking to build on its performance from last year's municipal corporation elections, where it won the civic bodies of Patiala, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Phagwara. Those victories, however, were marred by allegations of large-scale rigging from opposition parties.
With the formal notification of this latest portfolio change awaited, all eyes are now on Minister Sanjeev Arora to deliver on governance in these key sectors as Punjab enters a high-stakes election cycle.
