Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia
On 26 February 2023, Manish Sisodia was the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi when he was arrested by the CBI and on 9 March by the ED in connection with an alleged scam in the excise policy. ie number 2 after Arvind Kejriwal both in government and party, but a lot has changed in these 17 months. Manish Sisodia’s position is still number 2 in the Aam Aadmi Party, but he had to quit as a minister in the Delhi government. Currently, Manish Sisodia is legally the only MLA from Patparganj.
However, the Aam Aadmi Party sees Manish Sisodia’s release from jail as a life saver. The party hopes that Manish Sisodia’s release ahead of the Delhi assembly elections will energize party workers and supporters. Manish Sisodia, who reached the Aam Aadmi Party office on Saturday, also hit out at the central government in his old style, saying that the BJP government at the center wants to tarnish the Aam Aadmi Party and its image. Top leaders command people’s attention. But his intentions will not be allowed to succeed.
‘It’s not about corruption, it’s about stopping AAP’
Manish Sisodia said that he will go door to door to tell why Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party leaders were arrested. The issue is not of corruption but of stopping Aam Aadmi Party. As soon as Manish Sisodia came out of jail, he made his intention clear that he was not going to sit back. From now we will go between the people and the workers and start preparing for the elections.
Manish Sisodia made it clear in his speech that he is not going on leave after 17 months in jail. Now is the time for those who stayed out and fought for them. Now he will fight for them, live among them. This is no time to relax. He has also clarified his plans regarding the elections. AAP has appealed to the workers to start the election preparations from today.
Now Sisodia will again strengthen the party organization
Manish Sisodia is one of the founding members of Aam Aadmi Party. Manish Sisodia was instrumental in building the party and seizing power in Delhi through the movement and establishing a model of education, health, free electricity, water and travel for women in Delhi.
According to party sources, Manish Sisodia is the only face after Arvind Kejriwal who has no qualms about working in the party under his command. In such a situation, when there are elections in Delhi and Haryana, Manish Sisodia’s first priority is to strengthen the party by preparing a strategy in these states. Manish Sisodia will lead the party and organization till Arvind Kejriwal is released from jail.
An important meeting may be held in the coming days
According to sources connected with the Aam Aadmi Party, an important meeting will be held within the party next week regarding the future strategy. It will form the future strategy of the party. Manish Sisodia’s role will also be decided in those meetings. However, the question in the midst of all this is whether Sisodia will join the government? Aam Aadmi Party leaders and Delhi government ministers have said that the party will take a decision on this soon.
Most party leaders want Manish Sisodia to join his old role in the government. However, this is possible only when Arvind Kejriwal comes out of jail. Take over as Chief Minister and send a recommendation to the LG and re-induct Manish Sisodia into your cabinet.
What is the status regarding the cabinet?
Now let us understand what is the legal position regarding the number of ministers and cabinet in Delhi? The Delhi government can have a maximum of 7 ministers including the Chief Minister. According to Article 239AA of the Constitution, the size of the Delhi Cabinet cannot exceed 10 percent of the number of members of the Legislative Assembly.
There are total 70 MLAs in Delhi Assembly. In such a position there cannot be more than 7 ministers. After the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise case, Delhi government minister Rajkumar Anand resigned from his post. So, apart from the Chief Minister there are only 5 ministers in the Delhi government i.e. 1 post is vacant. In such a situation, there is no hurdle in making Manish Sisodia a minister along with the existing ministers and making him deputy chief minister.
