Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann may soon get a deputy as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party mulls social engineering ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections — and fulfill a promise that party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had made ahead of 2017 state polls. It is likely that the party may appoint a deputy chief minister from the Dalit community.
The party is in promise-fulfilling mode. After free power and free pilgrimage scheme, the AAP is now preparing to roll out the scheme to pay Rs 1,000 per month to women voters in the state in the upcoming fiscal — CM Mann has already announced that a provision for the scheme will be made in the annual budget for the state. The party circles are abuzz that the party’s central leadership was now “seriously thinking” of appointing a Deputy CM. It is learnt that Kejriwal has already held several meetings with leaders from the state and discussed the issue.
A source, who had attended the meetings, said that Finance Minister Harpal Cheema and Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora were the frontrunners for the post.
“The party wants to have a Deputy CM from SC community that forms over 32 per cent of the state’s population. Appeasing them would be a task for the ruling party as it works to retain power for a second consecutive term,” said the source.
While Kejriwal did not make any promise ahead of the 2022 polls in which the party won 92 of the 117 Assembly seats, the former Delhi chief minister had, ahead of the 2017 assembly polls in Punjab, announced that if voted to power, the party would have a Dalit Deputy CM. As The party, which won 20 seats in 2017 and ended up as the principal opposition, had later appointed Harpal Singh Cheema as Leader of Opposition in 2018.
Now, if the party decides to go ahead with an SC leader, then Cheema again fits the bill. He is second to Mann in the pecking order in the Punjab Cabinet. He is seen as a trouble-shooter of the AAP government. “Whenever the government or party lands in a political or administrative crisis, Cheema is deputed to manage the situation,” said a source. He was deputed for initiating dialogue with farmers protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri border-points during their march to Delhi. Recently, when Chief Mann’s statement regarding missing copies of the Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara near Banga snowballed into a controversy, Cheema was sent to defuse the situation. Whether it involves negotiations with employee unions or handling politically charged incidents, Cheema is the go-to man of the party. On Monday, he was deputed to lead a protest against Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa, whose remarks against Cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh were termed as “casteist” by the party. He is also credited with handling finances of the state despite the subsidies bleeding the exchequer dry. He has also remained non-controversial.
On the other hand is Arora, a Hindu, who was inducted at number five but is considered one of the most powerful ministers. He was handed over the department of local bodies and power besides the industries portfolio. A number of IAS officers, associated with his departments, have faced action. He accompanied Mann to invite investors from Japan. He is also pushing for mopping of resources for fulfilling government’s promise of Rs 1,000 per month for women.
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Arora, who was a Rajya Sabha member, was fielded by AAP in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll. He was reportedly promised the berth of Deputy CM for vacating the RS seat and contesting the bypoll.
Sources said considering the caste equations, the party may try to appease both Hindus and the SCs and end up appointing both as Deputy CMs. “This could be a formula. However, nothing can be confirmed as yet,” said a source.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun expanding its footprint in the state. It is making visible efforts to consolidate both Hindu and SC voters. These two communities had overwhelmingly supported AAP in the 2022 Assembly elections. The BJP’s outreach is causing discomfort within the AAP, which does not want any erosion of its core support base ahead of the polls.
Earlier, the party had attempted to strike a balance by appointing Aman Arora as state party president.
Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.
Professional Background
Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.
Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.
Special Projects:
Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.
Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:
1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs
"Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.
"Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.
"Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.
2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls
"Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.
"AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.
"Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership.
3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy
"Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.
"Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.
4. Welfare & Economy
"Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program.
"Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025).
Signature Beat
Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.
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