On the advice of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Aam Admi Party MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj as ministers in the Delhi cabinet on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Kejriwal had forwarded the names to the Lieutenant Governor for consideration for Cabinet appointments. On Tuesday, the President accepted the resignations of AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain.
Atishi is a member of Sisodia’s education team and represents the Kalkaji constituency. She also ran in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from East Delhi but lost to BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir. Bhardwaj, the party’s national spokesperson, previously served as vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board. During the first term of the AAP government, the legislator from Greater Kailash also served as a minister.
The Delhi council of ministers now has five members, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who does not hold any portfolios. Following his arrest in the alleged excise policy scam, Sisodia resigned from all 18 of his positions. Following the arrest of former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain last year, seven of his portfolios were transferred to Sisodia, who was overseeing 18 departments at the time of his arrest.
He is now being held in Tihar Jail after Rouse Avenue Court sentenced him to judicial custody until March 20. Following his arrest in the alleged excise policy scam, Sisodia resigned from all 18 of his positions.
