Kejriwal, ministers to take oath today

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be sworn in as the eighth chief minister of Delhi along with six other Cabinet ministers at Ramlila Ground on Saturday.

The list of seven ministers, including the chief minister designate, was sent by the party to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.

Kejriwal has retained finance and power while Manish Sisodia will handle education, public works department and urban development.

Sisodia is likely to be the deputy chief minister, according to sources in the AAP. The AAP government has retained former minister Satyendra Jain. He will take charge of health and industry ministries.

Apart from them, the others who are going to be a part of Kejriwal's Cabinet—Gopal Rai (transport and labour), MLA from Babarpur, Asim Ahmed Khan (food and supplies), MLA from Matia Mahal, Jitendra Singh Tomar (law), MLA from Trinagar and Sandeep Kumar (women and child welfare), MLA from Sultanpuri Majra—are first-time legislators.

Kejriwal will be sworn in as the new chief minister exactly a year from the day he quit the government after just 49 days in power amid a row over an anti-corruption bill.

However, he is likely to skip his first Cabinet meet on Saturday and return home after taking oath, party sources said.

The chief minister-elect has been running a fever for the last four days.

He will travel by car, accompanied by his family, to reach the venue of oath-taking ceremony at Ramlila Ground. In December 2013, when the AAP leader had first taken oath as the Delhi chief minister, he rode the Delhi Metro for his swearing-in, a move that had drawn lot of criticism.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will administer oath. With the Arvind Kejriwal-led government opting for a young and inexperienced Cabinet, his party has decided to constitute a three-member panel to oversee the implementation of its 70-point manifesto.

The committee will comprise AAP Delhi state convenor Ashutosh, senior leader Ashish Khetan and Dwarka legislator Adarsh Shastri. “The manifesto implementation committee has been tasked with coordination work since the new cabinet has four newcomers, who lack administrative experience,” a senior AAP functionary said.

The poll promises include passing Jan Lokpal and Swaraj bills, making water and electricity cheap and abundant, building capacity in education and health, simplifying VAT, availability of degree, income and Wi-Fi for youth, and ensuring the safety of women.

Party sources also said that AIIMS whistle-blower Sanjiv Chaturvedi is likely to head the anti-graft cell of the Delhi government. In August last year, the Union Health Ministry had removed Chaturvedi as vigilance chief saying he was not eligible for the post.