Kejriwal finalises his team for Delhi cabinet; sulking Vinod Binny embarrasses AAP

Ghaziabad: Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday finalised his team of ministers that includes his trusted associate Manish Sisodia and five others but was embarrassed with open dissent from a newly-elected MLA over his name being kept out of the government.

AAP, Congress in self-serving exercise, govt won't last long: BJP

The task of giving shape to the government was undertaken on a day deep divisions came to the fore in Congress over extending support to AAP in government formation. However, late in the night Congress sources set at rest reports that moves were on to immediately withdraw the support.

Read here: Divisions in Congress on supporting AAP come out in open

Kejriwal, who is likely to be sworn-in as Chief Minister on Thursday, sent to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung a list of six ministers, including the names of Sisodia, a former journalist who won from Patparganj constituency, Rakhi Birla, the giant killer who defeated PWD Minister Rajkumar Chouhan, Somnath Bharti (defeated Women and Child Development Minister Kiran Walia) Saurabh Bhardwaj, Girish Soni and Satendra Jain.

Disclosing this, Sisodia denied there was any dissent. He said picking up his team was the Chief Minister's prerogative.

Read here: AAP warns Congress: No support, we shall quit

However, party sources said Vinod Kumar Binny, a two time corporator in the Delhi Municipal Corporation with Congress background, is sulking over his non-inclusion in the Cabinet.

An upset Binny walked out of a meeting with Kejriwal at his residence and told the media that he would address a press conference tomorrow that could embarrass the party. The sources said efforts were on to pacify him in which leaders including Yogendra Yadav are said to be involved.

Speculation is that he could be made the Speaker whose role will be important in a fractious House.

Will take action against 'corrupt' ex-Cong ministers: Kejriwal

Meanwhile, Kejriwal is understood to have decided to pick up senior IAS officer, Rajendra Kumar as Chief Minister's Principal Secretary.

Like Kejriwal, 47-year-old Kumar, at present Higher Education Secretary, is an alumnus of IIT-Kharagpur. Kumar met Kejriwal at his residence here. Chief Secretary D M Spolia also met Kejriwal. They were described as courtesy calls. Birla, Bharti, Jain and Soni met Kejriwal.

Next: 'Unwell' Hazare to skip Kejriwal ministry swearing-in

'Unwell' Hazare to skip Kejriwal ministry swearing-in 

Ralegan Siddhi: 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 on Tuesday 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.