Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj took oath as ministers in the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
Atishi will handle education, PWD, power and tourism departments, while Bharadwaj will look after health, urban development, water and industries. Atishi and Bharadwaj replaced jailed former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. Both of them are accused in different corruption cases.
Sisodia was arrested on February 26 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his role in the alleged excise policy scam in Delhi. Following the arrest, he and Jain resigned from their Cabinet posts.
The President of India appointed the ministers of Delhi government based on the advice of the Chief Ministers of Delhi. Bhardwaj is the AAP MLA from Greater Kailash. He also serves as the Chief National Spokesperson of AAP and as the Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board. Atishi is the AAP MLA from Kalkaji area. She is also the member of AAP's apex body Political Affairs Committee (PAC).
Chief Minister Kejriwal congratulated both the ministers. "You both have to take forward the good work of Manish ji and Satyendra ji. People have high expectations from both of you," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
