AAP informally decides on Delhi ministers

Kejriwal likely to induct young, professionals in his cabinet

Dominated by professionals, Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appoint a relatively young cabinet to run this city’s government, of his close aides.

Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party said the cabinet was likely to consist of former journalists Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla; Saurabh Bhardwaj, an engineer; Somnath Bharti, a lawyer; Girish Soni, a businessman; and Satyandra Jain, an architect. No decision had been taken on ministry allotment.

“Arvindji (Kejriwal) has given us a responsibility and we need to fulfill that with our best efforts now,” said one of the likely ministers.

Unconfirmed television reports said Vinod Kumar Binny, who defeated outgoing Health Minister A K Walia by a huge margin is upset over not getting a place. Business Standard was unable to confirm this. During the day, meetings were held at Kejriwal and party national executive member Yogendra Yadav’s residence. The decision on the names was taken in the evening.

At the AAP's headquarters, Yadav met various people from Haryana, from where the party is keen to contest elections. A party member said the AAP wishes to focus on the Assembly elections scheduled there in October next year. Yadav is likely to visit parts of Haryana on December 27-29 to meet party representatives.

Rajendra Kumar, a senior IAS officer and an IIT alumnus, is said to be likely to be made principal secretary to Kejriwal.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal refused allotment of a bungalow reportedly proposed by Chief Secretary D M Spolia. The youngest-to-be-chief minister of this city had refused security cover on Monday.

The proposal to administer the oath of office as CHIEF MINISTER to Kejriwal has been sent by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to President Pranab Mukherjee. The party had announced Kejriwal as its chief ministerial nominee on Monday, before telling Jung it would form a government with the outside support of the Congress party, ending a week’s suspense.