In a subtle political move, chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday clipped the wings of political heavyweight and her emerging rival, A. K. Walia, divesting him of the high-profile finance and urban development departments. The lone minister to lose his job turned out to be Mangat Ram Singhal in whose place journalist-turned-politician Ramakant Goswami was sworn in as a minister by lieutenant-governor Tejendra Khanna on Wednesday.
Ms Dikshit carried out a major shake up in the portfolios of ministers in a move to keep her political rivals in check, while rewarding loyalists.
Dr Walia emerged as the biggest loser, as he would no longer be presenting his seventh consecutive Budget, which would now be done by the CM herself, as sources revealed that Ms Dikshit has taken over the finance portfolio.
Sources said that Dr Walia has been given health department along with family welfare, irrigation and flood, revenue and employment.
Contrary to reports of being dropped from the Cabinet, PWD minister, Raj Kumar Chouhan, has been rewarded as he has been given urban development and planning along with SC & ST welfare and land & building. Mr Chouhan, a known CM loyalist, would now deal with the issue of trifurcation of MCD.
Mr Goswami, the new face in the Cabinet and a three-time MLA, has been given industries, labour and election departments. He is known to be a staunch loyalist of the chief minister.
Food and civil supplies minister Haroon Yusuf has been given additional portfolio of the sensitive power department, apart from department of development.
Delhi education and transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely has come out unscathed in the shake up. Prof. Kiran Walia has been given social welfare and language departments, while she retains women and child department.
Ms Dikshit will now have departments of finance, law, tourism, and higher education with herself.
She said that the attempt had been to bring in new ideas while maintaining continuity in the Cabinet.