AAP Legislator Vinod Kumar (file pic)
New Delhi:
In a spot of high drama at Arvind Kejriwal's Ghaziabad home, where his Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday put final touches to its plans for government formation in Delhi, a newly-elected party legislator was seen storming out in the evening.
Vinod Kumar Binny's abrupt exit triggered speculation that he is upset about not being named in a first list of six cabinet ministers that AAP released on Tuesday. The names have been sent to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
Mr Binny is seen as close to top AAP leader Manish Sisodia and was widely expected to be made a cabinet minister after a big win in Laxmi Nagar. But, sources said, Mr Kejriwal, who will be Delhi's next chief minister, ruled him out of the list.
Party sources said Mr Binny was being fielded as parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister. This is equivalent to a cabinet berth. However, AAP sources admit that Mr Binny may not have understood the responsibility that has been chalked out for him.
"I don't know if Binny was angry. He did not say anything during his meeting with Arvind Kejriwal," said AAP leader Manish Sisodia. AAP sources said that party leader Yogendra Yadav has been sent to talk to Mr Binny.
Mr Yadav, meanwhile, said picking ministers for the Delhi cabinet is "completely the prerogative of the Chief Minister."
Mr Binny is one of the few AAP legislators who has won an election before. Twice, as a independent MLA. This year, he was one of AAP's giant-slayers, defeating Delhi Health Minister A K Walia in Laxmi Nagar by about 8,000 votes.
A former Congressman, he quit that party in 2011, to join the massive anti-graft movement engineered by Arvind Kejriwal and his former mentor Anna Hazare.
Vinod Kumar Binny's abrupt exit triggered speculation that he is upset about not being named in a first list of six cabinet ministers that AAP released on Tuesday. The names have been sent to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
Mr Binny is seen as close to top AAP leader Manish Sisodia and was widely expected to be made a cabinet minister after a big win in Laxmi Nagar. But, sources said, Mr Kejriwal, who will be Delhi's next chief minister, ruled him out of the list.
Party sources said Mr Binny was being fielded as parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister. This is equivalent to a cabinet berth. However, AAP sources admit that Mr Binny may not have understood the responsibility that has been chalked out for him.
"I don't know if Binny was angry. He did not say anything during his meeting with Arvind Kejriwal," said AAP leader Manish Sisodia. AAP sources said that party leader Yogendra Yadav has been sent to talk to Mr Binny.
Mr Yadav, meanwhile, said picking ministers for the Delhi cabinet is "completely the prerogative of the Chief Minister."
Mr Binny is one of the few AAP legislators who has won an election before. Twice, as a independent MLA. This year, he was one of AAP's giant-slayers, defeating Delhi Health Minister A K Walia in Laxmi Nagar by about 8,000 votes.
A former Congressman, he quit that party in 2011, to join the massive anti-graft movement engineered by Arvind Kejriwal and his former mentor Anna Hazare.
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