Delhi cabinet reshuffle
– Photo: Amar Ujala/Sonu Kumar
Expansion
Atishi Marlena has been appointed as the Finance and Revenue Minister in the Delhi Government. After getting permission from the Lieutenant Governor, she has now become the second most powerful minister in the Delhi government after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He holds important portfolios like Energy, PWD, Education, Women and Child Development and Tourism apart from the Finance Ministry. Earlier this role belonged to Manish Sisodia, who was seen as number two in the party after Arvind Kejriwal. The important question is why did Arvind Kejriwal show so much trust in Atishi instead of Kailash Gehlot?
According to Aam Aadmi Party sources, Atishi Marlena has been playing an important role in designing and executing major schemes of the Delhi government. Delhi’s education model has been playing the most important role in Arvind Kejriwal’s political journey. Arvind Kejriwal had definitely given the responsibility of Education Minister to his special colleague Manish Sisodia, but the entire planning of this scheme is believed to be of Atishi Marlena. In which category, how to develop children, how to send teachers abroad and expand their qualifications, the whole plan is considered to be of Atishi Marlena, a highly educated abroad.
After Manish Sisodia went to jail, Atishi Marlena has taken up the most important task of attacking the BJP on behalf of the government. She besieges the central government on various issues by holding press conferences every day. Atishi Marlena’s role has been very special during the recently concluded Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections and later during the mayor’s election. It is believed that it is because of these roles that the Aam Aadmi Party has reposed so much trust in him.
Why not Gopal Rai or Kailash Gehlot
In fact, it is already feared that after Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia, Kailash Gehlot may be the next victim of the investigating agencies. The major reason for this is that some irregularities have been found in the purchase of DTC buses and the BJP has demanded an inquiry into these matters. Kailash Gehlot was also accused of hiding income tax. There is a discussion within the Aam Aadmi Party that action may be taken against Kailash Gehlot sooner or later.
On the other hand, Gopal Rai has an important responsibility of the party in the state. Earlier, when he was handling the Transport Ministry, there were some allegations against him. It is said that only after those allegations, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not like him much.
This is the reason why Kejriwal chose such a person to give this important responsibility, who can hold the responsibility of these key departments for a long time and will not let the plans of the Delhi government get affected. In this episode, Atishi Marlena emerged as his most trusted companion and Kejriwal gave her the responsibility of these important departments. The Aam Aadmi Party believes that it will not be easy for the BJP to target Atishi.
BJP attacked
The BJP started attacking Atishi when she was included in the cabinet. The party had raised her old case that she was cheating voters by changing her name during the Lok Sabha elections (the AAP leader had changed her name to Atishi Singh in the election). Today, when the news of Atishi Marlena being made Finance and Revenue Minister came, BJP attacked saying that her appointment has been done under the pressure of Manish Sisodia who is lodged in Tihar Jail.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva alleged that the appointment of Atishi Marlena as Finance Minister was a case of political blackmailing. He said that Sisodia has forced Kejriwal to make Atishi the Finance Minister. Despite senior ministers like Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot and Imran Hussain in the ministry, the CM handing over key portfolios to the most junior minister is pointing to a conspiracy.