(Image source from: AAP names its cabinet of ministers})
After much ballyhoo over who would pick up the baton for forming next government in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took the onus on themselves with support from Congress.
Ahead of its power run, the Party declared its cabinet of ministers yesterday with names like Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Somnath Bharti, Rakhi Birla, Satyendra Jain and Girish Soni making it to the list. Meanwhile, there were rumors of Laxmi Nagar MLA Vinod Kumar Binny, a strong probable for cabinet minister, being upset for his exclusion from the list. However, all speculations were put to rest after it was buzzed that Binny might be appointed as the Party spokesperson in the Assembly.
AAP sources said the swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on December 26 at the historic Ramlila Maidan, where an anti-corruption movement, led by Anna Hazare, was launched in 2011.
Meanwhile, a section of Congress seems highly displeased with the party's decision to extend support to AAP. Few Congress workers demonstrated their protests by burning effigies of Kejriwal.
Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi confirmed the divide in the party over support to the new political party. "There were divergent views within the Congress on extending support to the AAP. There is an opinion in the Congress that the decision to support was not correct," he said.
Another part source said: "It's a catch-22 situation because if the party withdraws support to the AAP, then it would be shooting itself in the foot as the party shouldn't have given it in the first place. We are stuck."
Divergence in Congress views became more pronounced after AAP released a two-minute video on social networking sites, where it justified its decision to take outside support from Congress to form a government, but also threatened strict action against tainted ministers. "We'll take action against any previous corrupt minister of the Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)," it said.
With the year-old AAP coming to power, there will be a reshuffle in the bureaucracy. However, critics say that AAP might find it hard to implement the bijli-paani claims it has made in future.
AW: Suchorita Dutta Choudhury
