Delhi govt: Arvind Kejriwal's cabinet to see 4 new members, Manish Sisodia likely to be deputy CM

Delhi Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appoint his trusted colleague in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Manish Sisodia as the deputy CM, sources said on Thursday.

Sisodia was the minister of education, PWD, urban development and local bodies in the party's 49-day government that had resigned on February 14 last year.

The party has made a stunning comeback by winning 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, elections for which were held on February 7.

Kejriwal will take oath as the chief minister on Saturday.

Among those likely to be included in the cabinet this time are: Satyendra Jain, Adarsh Shastri, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Jitender Tomar, Kapil Mishra, Sandeep Kumar and Asim Ahmed Khan.

The decision was taken at a meeting of AAP's Political Affairs Committee on Wednesday night at Kejriwal's residence in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad, party sources said.

Ram Nivas Goyal is likely to be appointed speaker of the Delhi assembly while Bandana Kumari could be his deputy.

According to party sources, Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla - two controversial ministers in the previous AAP government - have been excluded in the cabinet.

Bharti had conducted a midnight raid in south Delhi's Khirki extension targeting some African nationals, alleging a sex racket operating out of a rented flat. Delhi Police refused to cooperate with Bharti and his action faced widespread criticism from women rights groups.

Birla, then minister for women and child welfare, had filed a case against a young boy for allegedly stoning her car. The police, however, said it was a cricket ball.

Kejriwal then asked her to withdraw the case.