(This story originally appeared in on Sep 02, 2017)

NEW DELHI: After choosing to helm the state government without holding any portfolio in March 2015, Arvind Kejriwal is likely to be at the forefront of a makeover of Delhi’s water and sewerage management system . There is speculation that the Aam Aadmi Party leader is exploring the possibility of assuming charge as a minister or playing a lead monitoring role in the two areas. Water and sewerage are in for special focus following AAP’s assessment of the lessons it learnt while canvassing for and triumphing in the Bawana by-election last month.If Kejriwal finally does take charge as minister for water and sewerage, which would concurrently mean taking over as chairman of Delhi Jal Board , it will be a significant change in political strategy for him and his party. An announcement is expected in the coming week.Whatever the contours of this new role, water and sewerage will now be the Kejriwal government’s priority just as education and health were till now. “During the Bawana campaign, these issues were identified as critical and having the most direct impact on people,” an official explained. “Water and sewerage are topics that the CM is well acquainted with and has worked extensively on.”Before joining politics, the activist Kejriwal had been associated with popular concerns related to water, and after forming a minority government with Congress offering outside support in 2013, even held the water portfolio for the 49 days that the government lasted. Free water was a popular plank of the party in the election that followed.Kejriwal, however, chose to remain CM without portfolio when AAP won an overwhelming majority in 2015. He appointed Manish Sisodia as deputy CM, deputing to him the work of many departments. Kejriwal had since gradually rationalised the portfolio loads among the seven members of his cabinet, but himself refrained from taking on ministerial responsibilities, justifying the decision by pitting himself as a monitor and guide. He also maintained that he wanted to concentrate on administrative reforms.Sources indicated that if Kejriwal were to take charge of DJB, the current minister water minister, Rajender Pal Gautam, could be put in charge of another department. The week ahead could, therefore, see a portfolio reallocation for both the CM and Gautam. “If such a decision is taken, it would have nothing to do with the current minister’s performance,” a government official hastened to add. “The minister took charge only three months ago, so this would have more to do with the government's new agenda of focusing on sectors identified as crucial.”DJB has been in the news in recent weeks for the death of 10 contract workers inside sewers and for a protest called by a section of engineers that alleged the agency’s CEO had been "insulted" by a committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Some sewer projects are also under scrutiny over an alleged financial fiddle.