New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal authorities is looking at a doable disaster with the CBI arresting Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who holds as many as 18 of the full 33 departments, together with training, finance, and residential. The arrest of Sisodia comes after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi’s the then well being minister, in June final yr. Both have led what the Aam Aadmi Party describes because the profitable transformation of Delhi’s training and well being providers, contributing to the get together’s recognition and continued electoral success. Their absence leaves Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with no heavyweight lieutenant to implement his governance agenda in Delhi. The fast problem for Kejriwal is to current the Delhi authorities funds as scheduled and discover Sisodia’s substitute. Sources within the Aam Aadmi Party mentioned Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot could current the Delhi authorities funds for the subsequent monetary yr.
“As there was a risk that the deputy chief minister could also be arrested by the CBI, Gahlot was attending budget-related conferences for the previous couple of days.
“Gahlot is likely to present the 2023-24 budget. It is scheduled to be presented next month,” an AAP functionary advised PTI.
According to the Delhi authorities’s web sites, there are a complete of 33 departments.
Of these, Sisodia takes care of 18, together with well being, training, public works division (PWD), providers, finance, energy, residence and concrete improvement. He can be answerable for all different departments not particularly allotted to any minister.
Apart from Kejriwal, the Delhi authorities has six cupboard ministers, together with jailed Satyendar Jain who continues to be a minister and not using a portfolio. Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate final yr in reference to a cash laundering case.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai has solely three departments whereas Imran Hussain is answerable for solely two departments — meals and civil provides, and election.
Kailash Gahlot is answerable for six departments, together with income, and transport whereas Raj Kumar Anand has 4 portfolios.
The CBI on Sunday night arrested Sisodia, who’s near Kejriwal, in reference to alleged corruption within the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise coverage for 2021-22 after practically eight hours of questioning.
This was the second spherical of questioning of Sisodia after the company registered a case on August 17 final yr. He was quizzed on October 17 final yr.
Kejriwal termed the arrest “dirty politics” and asserted that his deputy was harmless.
“Manish is innocent. His arrest is dirty politics. It has angered people quite a lot. People are watching everything. People now understand everything and will give reply to this. It will boost our spirit and our struggle will only get stronger,” Kejriwal mentioned in a tweet in Hindi.
