New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to induct Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi as cabinet ministers in the wake of the resignation of two of his senior ministers, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, facing serious corruption charges. News agency ANI quoted sources as saying that the AAP chief has sent the names of Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for his approval.
Bhardwaj represents the Greater Kailash constituency in South Delhi and is also the chief spokesperson of the AAP. He is also the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, the agency that supplies water to the national capital. He was a cabinet minister in the AAP government during its 49-day tenure in 2013-14, after which Kejriwal resigned taking responsibility for failure to bring the anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill.
Atishi is the MLA from Kalkaji and is a member of AAP’s Political Affairs Committee. He has served as an advisor to Sisodia, primarily on education, between 2015 and 2017.
Significantly, Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on Sunday evening in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-cancelled Delhi Liquor Policy for 2021-22, while Jain is lodged in Tihar Jail. Laundering case since May last year
In a dramatic turn of events, arrested Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain resigned from the Arvind Kejriwal-led cabinet amid BJP’s sustained attack against AAP over corruption allegations against its leaders. The resignations came minutes after the Supreme Court declined to entertain the bail plea of Sisodia, who is in CBI custody in the now-expired excise policy case, saying it would set a “wrong precedent” and Effective alternative measures were available.
Till the appointment of new ministers, Sisodia’s portfolios have been given to Kailash Gehlot and Rajkumar Anand. Anand, who has been given the charge of Education, Land and Building, Vigilance, Services, Tourism, Art Culture and Language, Labour, Employment, Health and Industry in addition to his existing portfolios, has said that his party aims to provide the city Good education and health facilities to the people will remain the same.
The BJP was questioning why the two ministers continued to be in the cabinet despite being arrested in corruption cases. The AAP insisted on Tuesday that the resignations were not an admission of guilt and called it an “administrative move”.
For now, Delhi minister Raj Kumar Anand will handle the education and health portfolios, which are key focus areas of the AAP. Kailash Gehlot will look after the important power and water supply departments. Sisodia, who was arrested on Sunday on corruption charges in the liquor policy case, had earlier indicated that he may be in jail for “7-8 months”. AAP number two, who is credited with the rejuvenation of government schools in Delhi, is currently under CBI custody.