Kejriwal may rejig cabinet after budget session, new face expected

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to redistribute portfolios among his cabinet ministers when the budget session ends on March 31.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to redistribute portfolios among his cabinet ministers when the budget session ends on March 31.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to redistribute portfolios among his cabinet ministers when the budget session ends on March 31. (Sonu Mehta / Hindustan Times)

Sources said the chief minister, who does not hold any portfolio himself but has been monitoring the cabinet’s work, may induct a new minister into his team.

Over the past year, two ministers have been changed in Kejriwal’s cabinet – Jitender Singh Tomar is embroiled in a fake degree controversy while Asim Ahmed Khan was accused of corruption.

This reshuffle though will be based on work performance, party sources said.

“After completing one year, a cabinet rejig cannot be ruled out. But media speculations in terms of scale at which it could be done could be well off the mark,” a senior AAP leader said.

Speculations have been afloat about social welfare minister Sandeep Kumar being dropped from the cabinet after he was pulled up by the chief minister for alleged impropriety. Kumar had reportedly forced a government school principal to put his wife’s name on an inaugural plaque at the school.

More responsibility could also be given to Kapil Mishra, who holds water, tourism and the art and culture departments, sources said. Home minister Satyendra Jain currently holds the maximum number of departments, followed by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and transport minister Gopal Rai.