Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia meeting President Pranab Mukherjee
Arvind Kejriwal, who will take charge as Delhi's chief minister on Saturday, is likely to have a deputy. Manish Sisodia, a 43-year-old former journalist who is the number 2 of the Aam Aadmi Party, is set to be Delhi's first Deputy Chief Minister, say sources.
Mr Sisodia's elevation is being seen as part of AAP's long-term strategy to have someone in charge when Mr Kejriwal takes the party's campaign beyond Delhi.
Others likely to find a place in the Delhi cabinet are Kapil Sharma, Jitendra Tomar, Sandeep Kumar and Asim Ahmed Khan.
Mr Sisodia on Wednesday accompanied Mr Kejriwal to meetings with Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu. The AAP leaders brought up their demand for full statehood for Delhi, which currently has no control over land, police and bureaucracy.
As the shape of the new cabinet emerged this morning, Mr Sisodia spoke to NDTV on AAP's priorities.
"In the first few days, we will take decisions related to water and power. That is our commitment to Delhi," he said, adding, "The work that can be done in one day will be completed in one day."
AAP swept Delhi on Tuesday, winning 67 of 70 seats in assembly polls and decimating the BJP and the Congress. Besides pledging to end corruption, the party has vowed to make good on its promise to slash electricity bills and provide 700 litres water free to every home.
On Saturday, exactly a year to the day he quit after a 49-day stint in power, Mr Kejriwal will be sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time at the Ram Lila Maidan.
"We appeal to people to come at 11 am for the swearing in at noon. We want every citizen to take oath as chief minister with Arvind Kejriwal," Mr Sisodia said.
AAP has invited PM Modi, all union ministers and Delhi MPs to the oath ceremony as a gesture of goodwill towards the BJP after an acrimonious campaign for the Delhi polls.