New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj took oath Thursday as the newest members of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet.
Atishi was allotted the portfolios education, public works department, power and tourism, while Bharadwaj got health, water, industries and urban development.
The education portfolio, among others, was held by jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia while health was managed by Satyendar Jain, who is also in Tihar Jail.
Both leaders, feted for their work in the education and health sectors, have been accused by central agencies of financial malfeasance.
Atishi and Bharadwaj were sworn in Thursday in the presence of Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena.
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday appointed the two as ministers in the Delhi cabinet on the advice of Kejriwal.
Atishi represents the Kalkaji constituency and was a key member of Sisodia’s education team. The party’s national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj – alegislator from Greater Kailash – has served as the vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board.
Before his arrest, Sisodia was handling 18 portfolios, including the seven of Satyendar Jain, who was jailed 10 months ago in a money-laundering case.
Arrested in the 2021-22 excise policy case, Sisodia is in judicial custody till 20 March, though there is a bail hearing on Friday.
The excise policy was passed by the Kejriwal cabinet in the middle of the Covid pandemic in 2021.
The Delhi government has said the policy was formulated to generate optimum revenue, eradicate the sale of spurious liquor and to avoid non-payment of duty on liquor.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, on the other hand, has alleged corruption in the policy, accusing Sisodia – who held the excise portfolio – of granting undue favours to vendors like waiver or reduction in licence fees.
Also read: Delhi excise policy case: ED questioning Manish Sisodia in Tihar Jail