In a significant development, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken away Home Department from Jitender Tomar and has given it to his trusted man Satyendra Jain, who is holding all major departments, including Health, PWD and Power.
Well-placed sources told The Pioneer that the Chief Minister was apparently not happy with Tomar handling the Home Department as some files were not being routed through the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Delhi Government controls Delhi Police through Home Department, which reports to lieutenant Governor. Sources said that Kejriwal wants to tighten his grip on Delhi Police through Home Department as Police Commissioner of Delhi reports to lieutenant Governor on the issue of law and order and he intends to vet every file concerning Delhi Police before it goes to the lieutenant Governor for his approval.
According to sources, Kejriwal has taken away Home Department from Tomar and given the charge of Gurdwara Elections Department. Tomar is currently holding the charge of tourism, art and culture. On the other hand, the party officials say that this change should not be seen as curtailing power/portfolio of Tomar.
“This has also indicated that all is not well in the AAP Government. The Arvind Kejriwal Government has forced a change in portfolio of its Minister within 55 days. There must be something wrong,” said former Delhi Minister Haroon Yusuf.
According to Yusuf, withdrawal of Home Department from Tomar may be indication that battle for authority or supremacy has been started within the Government.
Forty eight-year-old Tomar joined the AAP in 2013. Before that he was associated with Congress though he never fought an election. He holds an llB degree from Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Bihar. He contested from Tri Nagar in last Assembly polls, but lost by a narrow margin. However, the party re-nominated him this time and he trounced BJP’s Nand Kishore Garg by 22,311 votes. like his predecessor Bharti, who sparked a row by allegedly leading a midnight raid against some African women in Khirki Extension in South Delhi when he was the law Minister, Tomar has also courted controversy related to his llB degree. The matter is in Delhi High Court.