Kejriwal picks his team; 'unwell' Anna to skip swearing-in

New Delhi, Dec 24: Arvind Kejriwal is understood to have finalised his team of ministers that includes his trusted associate Manish Sisodia and five others to be inducted into his ministry that will be sworn in later this week.

Mr Kejriwal may be sworn in as Chief Minister once President Pranab Mukherjee clears the Lt Governor’s proposal in this regard.

Throughout the day Mr Kejriwal held discussions at his residence here with party leaders including Mr Sisodia.

Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal is understood to have decided on senior IAS officer, Rajendra Kumar as Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary.

Like Mr Kejriwal, 47-year-old Kumar, at present Higher Education Secretary, is an alumnus of IIT-Kharagpur.

Mr Kumar met Mr Kejriwal at his residence here. Chief Secretary D M Spolia also met Mr Kejriwal. They were described as courtesy calls. Birla, Bharti, Jain and Soni met Kejriwal.

Anna to skip

Anna Hazare is yet to receive an invitation for the swearing-in ceremony of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi but would not attend even if he got one owing to ill-health.

"Nahi, abhi letter nahi aaya (No, the invitation has not come yet)," Hazare said, when asked if he has received any invitation from his former protege for attending the oath taking ceremony.

"I will speak (to him) on December 26," Hazare said. Kejriwal has requested Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung to allow him to take oath at the Ramlila Maidan on December 26, where Hazare had launched his movement for the Jan Lokpal in 2011.

Asked if he would attend the swearing-in ceremony if he received the invitation, Hazare said, "nahi, abhi toh mera tabiyat theek nahi (No, right now I am unwell)."

Hazare had yesterday declined to comment on the Kejriwal-led AAP's decision to form the new government in Delhi, but added he would express his views when his former protege acts on the Lokayukta issue.

"Mein bolta hoon, Kejriwal par no comment. Koi baat nahi karna hai," Hazare had said.

Asked about Kejriwal's party accepting outside support of Congress, Hazare said, "Whatever is good, let him do it... He will do whatever is right."

Hazare had parted ways with Kejriwal following his decision to form a political party.

The relations between the Gandhian and the AAP convenor had hit a new low when he recently ordered a frontline leader of Kejriwal's party Gopal Rai to leave his fast venue and village after he engaged in a spat with former Army chief General V K Singh. Singh had slammed Kejriwal and others for having deserted Hazare and formed a political party.

The AAP had immediately recalled Rai from Hazare's fast venue.