New Delhi: Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi Marlena, newly appointed ministers of the Delhi government, took charge of their respective departments at the Delhi Secretariat on Friday. Both took oath as ministers in the Delhi cabinet on Thursday in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena at Raj Niwas. This came after President Draupadi Murmu on Tuesday accepted the resignations of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Minister Satyendar Jain, both currently lodged in Tihar Jail.
Saurabh Bhardwaj has been allotted Health, Industries, Services, Vigilance, Urban Development, Water and Irrigation and Flood Control departments. Meanwhile, Atishi has held the charge of Education, Power, Public Works Department, Women and Child Development, Tourism, Art, Culture and Language.
Delhi Health Minister @Saurabh_MLAgk Life and Education Minister @AtishiAAP took charge of their respective ministries
As @msisodia Yes, @SatyendarJain Ji has brought laurels to the world in the field of education and health.
Similarly, you will also live up to the expectations of the people of Delhi. pic.twitter.com/ErstPpYu40– Aam Aadmi Party Delhi (@AAPDelhi) March 10, 2023
President Murmu on Tuesday appointed Atishi and Bhardwaj as ministers in the Delhi cabinet on the advice of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, with effect from the date they take oath, the Home Ministry said. Kejriwal had sent the names to the Lieutenant Governor for their appointment in the cabinet.
Atishi represents the Kalkaji constituency and has been a key member of Sisodia’s education team. She also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the East Delhi constituency and was defeated by BJP’s Gautam Gambhir.
Bharadwaj, the party’s national spokesperson, had served as the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board. The MLA from Greater Kailash was also a minister in the first term of the AAP government.
The Delhi Council of Ministers now has a strength of five, including CM Arvind Kejriwal, who does not hold any portfolio.
After his arrest in the alleged excise policy scam, Sisodia had resigned from all his 18 posts. After the arrest of former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain last year, seven portfolios handled by him were transferred to Sisodia, who was looking after 18 when he was arrested.
Following the resignations of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Minister Satyendar Jain, both currently in Tihar Jail in alleged corruption and money laundering cases respectively, the two cabinet berths had fallen vacant.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-cancelled Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. He is in judicial custody till March 20. Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 30 last year in an alleged money laundering case. Jain is also in judicial custody.