SCOOP: Debutant AAP MLAs may get ministerial berths, Sisodia to remain Kejriwal's deputy

Under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to form the government in Delhi for the third consecutive time after a landslide victory in the assembly polls on Tuesday. On Tuesday, the AAP won 62 seats while the BJP managed to win the remaining 8 seats and leaving nothing for the Congress. 24 hours after the victory, thoughts have turned towards what the composition of the third Kejriwal cabinet will be.

Sisodia to give up Education Ministry?

A meeting of newly-elected AAP MLAs was held at the residence of AAP chief & CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. He was elected as the leader of the legislative party during the meeting. He will take oath as the CM on 16th February. Sources say that Manish Sisodia will again become the Deputy Chief Minister. Sisodia who held numerous key portfolios in the Kejriwal government may continue as the Finance Minister.

However, Atishi Marlena who is a prominent new MLA may be in line to become the Education Minister, taking over from Sisodia after having done significant work in the area, so much so that AAP made it a major poll plank. Dilip Pandey, who is considered close to Arvind Kejriwal is likely to be inducted in the new cabinet as well. Atishi and Pandey have won the Kalkaji and Timarpur seats respectively. Sources also say that Raghav Chadha may not get a ministerial birth. Chadha, a practising chartered accountant, has won the Rajinder Nagar seat by over 20,058 votes and is a first-time MLA. 

As per the Constitution, Delhi's Council of Ministers may consist of not more than 10 per cent of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly, with the Chief Minister at the head. The Delhi Assembly has 70 seats.

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AAP eyeing Punjab elections in 2022

Atishi, Chadha and Pandey emerged victorious in their assembly election debut. The three had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections last year. Sources also say that the party will now focus on Punjab Assembly Elections scheduled in 2022. Punjab is the only state where AAP won four Lok Sabha seats in 2014. It emerged as the principal opposition party with 20 MLAs in the Punjab assembly elections in 2017.

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