Delhi to get 2 new ministers as Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi set to take oath today

A day after Manish Sisodia and Satyender Jain resigned on February 28, Arvind Kejriwal had forwarded the names of the new ministers to the LG for their appointment to the cabinet on March 1

Two new ministers will be inducted into the Delhi cabinet on Thursday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are scheduled to be sworn in as ministers by lieutenant governor VK Saxena at a function in Raj Niwas, Delhi government officials said.

The President had on Tuesday approved the inclusion of Bharadwaj and Atishi into the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet. (File image)

The new ministers will fill the vacancies created after the arrest and subsequent resignations of former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain.

Sisodia has been arrested by the central bureau of investigation (CBI) in connection with the 2021-22 excise policy, while Jain has been in jail for nine months in an alleged money laundering case.

The President had on Tuesday approved the inclusion of Bharadwaj and Atishi into the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet.

Bharadwaj (43), the Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman, is a three-time lawmaker from Greater Kailash. He served as a minister in AAP’s brief first stint in the government in 2013. Bharadwaj is also AAP’s chief spokesperson.

Atishi (41), a Rhodes scholar, is a first-time lawmaker from Kalkaji. She is believed to have played a key role in the AAP government’s education reforms and worked closely with Sisodia.

An official said CM Arvind Kejriwal and all other ministers will be attending the swearing in function at Raj Niwas.

The President has accepted the resignations of the two ministers, Sisodia and Jain.

A day after Sisodia and Jain resigned on February 28, Kejriwal had forwarded the names of the new ministers to the LG for their appointment to the cabinet on March 1.

Delhi assembly has 70 members and the Delhi cabinet can have a maximum of seven ministers including the chief minister.

The inclusion of Atishi and Bharadwaj will mark the second reshuffle in the council of ministers since the AAP government returned to power in 2020.

Raaj Kumar Anand was earlier inducted into the cabinet in November, following resignation by social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam.

The above quoted Delhi government official said the new ministers may be given multiple departments, but there was no clarity on the same.

Kejriwal earlier distributed over 18 portfolios, including finance, planning, power, home, and education, that Sisodia held, among ministers Gahlot and Raaj Kumar.

Now, Gahlot’s 14’s portfolios include finance, law, transport, administrative reforms, information and technology, revenue, women and child development, planning, public works department, power, home, urban development, irrigation and flood control, water, and other departments not specifically allotted to any minister including excise.

Raaj Kumar is handling 14 departments which include education, health, industries, employment, labour, art & culture, tourism, services, vigilance, land and building, cooperative, social welfare, SC & ST, Gurudwara elections.

The Delhi government is scheduled to present its budget on March 21, as the Delhi assembly is expected to convene on March 17.

Gahlot is likely to present the annual budget 2023-2024 in the Delhi assembly.