Ashish Ranjan
Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swore in Thursday as the newest members of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cabinet.Atishi was given the portfolios of education, public works, energy, and tourism, whereas Bharadwaj was given the portfolios of health, water, industries, and urban development.
The education portfolio was held by detained AAP leader Manish Sisodia, while Satyendar Jain, who is also in Tihar Jail, oversaw the health portfolio.
Central agencies have accused both leaders, lauded for their work in the education and health sectors, of financial misconduct.On Thursday, Atishi and Bharadwaj were sworn in before Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena.On Kejriwal’s recommendation, President Droupadi Murmu designated the two as ministers in the cabinet on Tuesday.
Atishi was a critical member of Sisodia’s education team and represents the Kalkaji constituency. The party’s national spokesperson, Legislator from Greater Kailash, Saurabh Bharadwaj, has served as vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board.
Prior to his arrest, Sisodia was in charge of 18 portfolios, including the seven of Satyendar Jain, who was imprisoned for money laundering ten months ago.In the 2021-22 excise policy case, Sisodia is in judicial custody until March 20, although a parole hearing is scheduled for Friday.
In 2021, the excise policy was enacted by the Kejriwal cabinet during the Covid pandemic.The Delhi government stated that the policy was designed to maximise revenue, eliminate the sale of counterfeit liquor, and prevent the nonpayment of liquor duty.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation, on the other hand, has alleged corruption in the policy, accusing Sisodia – who held the excise portfolio – of granting unfair advantages to vendors, such as a reduction or waiver of licence fees.
