CM reshuffles Delhi cabinet

Notification may be issued today

After weeks of speculation, the suspense over Delhi Cabinet reshuffle is over. While there will be no new face in Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s Cabinet, almost all the ministers — except PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan — have their portfolios changed.

The rejig by the chief minister in her Cabinet will leave Health Minister A K Walia a bitter man.

Walia has toiled for years to get about 1,000 of unauthorised colonies in Delhi regularised.

He loses the portfolios just a day before a notification for the regularisation of these colonies is expected.

Urban Development and Revenue, Walia’s portfolios, will now be Arvinder Singh Lovely’s domain.

No 2 position

Arvinder Singh Lovely, with the Urban Development as his portfolio, virtually establishes him as No 2 in the Delhi Cabinet, after the chief minister.

While the Transport Department has been given to Ramakant Goswami, the Industry Ministry will now be the responsibility of Power Minister Haroon Yusuf.

Kiran Walia, Social Welfare Minister, will also look after the Education Department. Transport and Education under Arvinder Singh till Monday.

The notification on the Cabinet reshuffle is likely to be issued by Tuesday.   

Sheila Dikshit did not confirm the changes despite repeated attempts by Deccan Herald.
However, one of the ministers confirmed the news on condition of anonymity. “It is true, thank you,”  the minister told Deccan Herald when congratulated on receiving an important portfolio.

The changes in the Cabinet were long expected after the Congress debacle in the April municipal elections in which the Bharatiya Janata Party captured all the three municipalities in the City.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath on Monday evening, the chief minister was accompanied by A K Walia and Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Kamal Nath is known to have given his nod for the regularisation of 917 unauthorised colonies, the notification for which is expected to be issued on Tuesday as well.