Arvind Kejriwal picks his team of 'aam aadmi' ministers

Aam Aadmi Party's 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.

Besides Sisodia, a former journalist who won from Patparganj constituency, the Cabinet will include Rakhi Birla, the giant killer who defeated Public Works Department Minister Rajkumar Chouhan, Somnath Bharti (defeated Women and Child Development Minister Kiran Walia) Saurabh Bhardwaj, Girish Soni and Satendra Jain, said Bharadwaj after a meeting with Kejriwal.

However, party sources said there could be changes before the team is finalised.

Kejriwal may be sworn-in as the chief minister at an oath- taking ceremony in Ramlila Maidan once President Pranab Mukherjee clears the Lt Governor's proposal in this regard.

Throughout the day Kejriwal held discussions at his residence in Ghaziabad with party leaders including Sisodia.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal is understood to have decided to pick up senior Indian Administrative Service officer, Rajendra Kumar as the 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. Chief Secretary D M Spolia also met Kejriwal. They were described as courtesy calls. Birla, Bharti, Jain and Soni met Kejriwal.

Image: Arvind Kejirwal with his aide Manish Sisodia