Delhiites 'Missing' Manish Sisodia, Says Arvind Kejriwal On Day Of Delhi Budget Presentation

On the day of the Delhi Budget, Kejriwal further said that the work initiated by the former Deputy CM will be carried forward at "double speed."

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a tweet, remembering his former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as the Delhi government presented its budget in the Assembly on Wednesday (March 22). Sisodia who had held several portfolios in the Delhi cabinet including that of the Finance and Education Minister is currently lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case.

Kejriwal said that "Delhiites are missing Manish Sisodia on the day of the budget presentation". He further said that the work initiated by the former Deputy CM will be carried forward at "double speed."

आज दिल्ली का बजट पेश किया जाएगा। दिल्ली के सब लोग आज मनीष जी को बहुत मिस कर रहे हैं। पर उनके काम रुकने नहीं देंगे। उनके द्वारा शुरू किए गए सभी काम दोगुनी स्पीड से किए जाएँगे।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 22, 2023

"Today Delhi's budget will be presented. Delhiites are missing Manish ji very much today. But the work started by him will not stop. The work done by him will be carried forward with double the speed," Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

Finance Minister Kailash Gehlot presents Delhi Budget 

The Delhi Budget was presented on Wednesday (March 22) by State Finance Minister Kailash Gehlot. Gehlot took over the post after Sisodia resigned from the position. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI and then the ED in the Delhi excise policy case. In the past, he was the one who presented the state budget ever since the party came into power in the national capital.

Centre vs AAP over Delhi Budget

Earlier, the Delhi Budget had become the subject of another tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government. The budget was scheduled to be presented on Tuesday (March 21) but Kejriwal alleged that it had been stalled by the Centre. According to reports, the MHA had sought clarifications from the Delhi government on the allocation of funds for infrastructure and advertisements in the budget. 

However, Kejriwal argued that the Centre had solely done this for "ego satisfaction." On the other hand, the Centre claimed that the Delhi government sat on the clarifications for 3 days and hence the delay in the approval.