When Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sits down with his newly sworn-in Cabinet for their first meeting on Saturday, revival of the anti-corruption helpline will be one of the topmost issues on the table, said sources.
Party sources said that while Finance and Power would remain with Mr. Kejriwal, he would shed Home Affairs, another important department he kept with himself in 2013.
Sources further said Manish Sisodia would retain the Urban Development and the Public Works Department, two portfolios he held in the 49-day government.
The helpline, first launched by Mr. Kejriwal during his first stint as CM last year, was seen as a major anti-corruption tool, and officers across government departments had acknowledged that it had created deterrence among those seeking bribes.
A day before the scheduled swearing-in, Mr. Kejriwal was appointed as the CM by President Pranab Mukherjee. Also President’s Rule in Delhi will be revoked on Saturday, and the President signed an order to that effect on Friday.
Though the party officially maintained that there would be little discussion in the first meeting, sources said that all the Ministers would be briefed about their portfolios and the tasks they were expected to perform.
Mr. Sisodia accompanied his Chief Minister for a series of meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers even before the swearing-in. Among the other issues discussed in these meetings were regularisation of unauthorised colonies, which will fall under Mr. Sisodia’s ambit as a Minister.
The portfolios to be divided among the first-time Ministers include Home, Transport, and Women and Child Welfare. Gopal Rai, Babarpur MLA, and an old colleague of Mr. Kejriwal since his activist days, could get Transport.
Another first-time MLA Sandeep Kumar may handle Women and Child Welfare replacing Rakhi Birla. According to sources, Asim Ahmed Khan will have charge of the Food and Civil Supplies and Minority Affairs departments.
Published - February 14, 2015 02:08 am IST
