02 March,2023 09:45 AM IST | New Delhi | Agencies
AAP leader Atishi Marlena speaks during a protest Manish Sisodia’s arrest, on Monday. Pics/ANI
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has forwarded the names of AAP MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj to the lieutenant governor for their appointment to the Cabinet, sources said on Wednesday.
The development comes after the resignation of AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, the key faces of the city government, who were instrumental in steering the national capital through the coronavirus crisis.
Bhardwaj, who is also the party's national spokesperson, had served the Delhi Jal Board as its vice chairman. The legislator from Greater Kailash was also a minister during the first stint of the AAP government.
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Atishi, who represents the Kalkaji constituency, has been a key member of Sisodia's education team. She had also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from the East Delhi constituency and lost to BJP's Gautam Gambhir.
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Until Atishi and Bhardwaj are inducted into the cabinet, ministers Raaj Kumar Anand and Kailash Gahlot will take care of the portfolios that have fallen vacant following Sisodia's resignation. While Gahlot has been given the additional charge of finance, PWD along with some departments, Anand, who is also the social welfare minister, will take care of education, health and other departments.
Kejriwal said the entire nation is proud of former Sisodia and Jain - both arrested over corruption allegations - and alleged they were arrested just to "stop the good work being done" in Delhi. "If Sisodia joined BJP today, he will be released tomorrow," he added.
Meanwhile, the Congress and the BJP have demanded the resignation of Kejriwal. "His pawns have resigned. When will he resign," BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asked.
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