Chandigarh, Jan. 9 -- Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday effected a significant reshuffle in his cabinet, handing the important local government portfolio to cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora ahead of the crucial municipal elections in the state. Arora, who was inducted into the cabinet six months ago, will now hold the portfolios of power, local government, industry and commerce, and investment promotion. Ravjot Singh, who had been handling the local government and parliamentary affairs portfolios since September 23, 2024, has been divested of local government and given NRI affairs instead. Arora held the NRI affairs portfolio earlier. The changes in portfolios of the two cabinet ministers were made by Mann in consultation with AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who was in the state. Official sources said the communication regarding the portfolio reshuffle was sent to governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who gave his nod. While the reshuffle considerably enhances Arora's political weight, making him one of the most powerful ministers, it is also important in view of the upcoming round of civic polls for nine municipal corporations and 116 nagar councils across the state. People privy to the development said that the ruling party handed the local government portfolio to Arora to give fresh impetus to development works and projects in urban areas, as he is considered a hands-on minister. The municipal polls, likely to be held next month, are being seen as a crucial test of political parties' influence in urban areas ahead of the 2027 state assembly polls. The municipal corporations going to the polls include Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Bathinda, Batala, Kapurthala, Abohar, Pathankot, and Barnala. Arora, the fifth local government minister in the present Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, was inducted into the state cabinet on July 3 last year, just days after winning the Ludhiana West byelection. He started with the industry and commerce, investment promotion and NRI affairs portfolios and was also given charge of the power department a few weeks later. A businessman-turned-politician, he earlier served as AAP's Rajya Sabha member for three years....