NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Atishi will retain all the 13 portfolios, including education, revenue, finance, power and PWD, that she held in the previous government in the national capital headed by Arvind Kejriwal.
A proposal from the chief minister for allocation of work among the ministers of her cabinet has been approved by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, officials said on Saturday. Atishi’s predecessor Kejriwal did not hold any portfolio. Atishi, the eighth chief minister of Delhi, has retained four ministers from the previous government - Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot and Imran Hussain.
First-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra Mukesh Ahlawat is a new member in her cabinet. Bharadwaj will retain his previous portfolios and also have charge of the social welfare and cooperative departments that were earlier held by Raaj Kumar Anand, who resigned in April.
His other portfolios include health, urban development, irrigation and tourism. He will have eight portfolios under his belt, the highest after those held by the chief minister. Ahlawat has been given the charge of the labour, gurdwara elections, welfare of SCs and STs and land and building departments. Rai has retained the development, general administration department, environment and forest portfolios that he also held in the Kejriwal government.
Gahlot has also been given his previous portfolios -- transport, home, administrative reforms, women and child development. Hussain will continue to hold the food and supply and election portfolios. In her first remarks after taking oath, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi hit out at the BJP on Saturday for hatching a “conspiracy” against her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal and urged the people of the capital to ensure that the AAP national convenor returns to the top post again after the Assembly polls due early next year.
Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said it is an “emotional day” for her as Kejriwal wil not continue to be the chief minister. “It is an emotional moment for me as he will not be the chief minister. He understood the pain of every person. He ensured free treatment for people, worked to improve the lives of the students of government schools, brought the provision of free bus rides for women."
With the Assembly polls due early next year, Atishi said the people of the national capital must ensure that Kejriwal becomes the chief minister again so that the free services like free electricity and water continue. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has started providing security cover to Atishi soon after she was sworn in.