JOIN USKejriwal takes oath, says will bring Jan Lokpal bill
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the eighth chief minister of Delhi at Ramlila Maidan here on Saturday and renewed his vow to bring in Jan Lokpal.
Manish Sisodia, who has been appointed Kejriwal’s deputy, along with four other Cabinet ministers Gopal Rai, Asim Ahmed Khan, Jitendra Singh Tomar and Sandeep Kumar were also administered the oath of office and secrecy by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.
Exactly a year ago, Kejriwal had quit the post after just 49 days in office amid a row over the Jan Lokpal bill that was blocked in the Delhi Assembly.
“Other parties haven't passed it in 65 years, but we will pass it as soon as possible. We plan to do everything in a concrete way,” Kejriwal said on the anti-graft legislation.
The AAP national convener also tried to put an end to speculation about his party contesting the forthcoming state Assembly elections by saying that he chose to concentrate on delivering governance in Delhi for the next five years.
“It was due to our arrogance that we were taught a lesson for being over ambitious in the Lok Sabha polls,” he said, recalling the party’s electoral drubbing last year.
Kejriwal also promised to make Delhi the first corruption-free state in the country and announced to resume an anti-corruption helpline that the previous AAP government had started.
“We will deliver results as fast as we can, will work 24 hours,” he said. Kejriwal had a fever and had to pop a tablet before coming for the swearing-in ceremony.
Kejriwal also raised the contentious issue of full statehood to Delhi and said the responsibility of running Delhi should be best left to Delhiites. Promising to deliver on its past promise of ending VIP culture in the city, Kejriwal said: “It’s wrong when ministers stop all the traffic with their lal battis (red beacons). The Delhi government will not use lal battis.”
While urging the media not to make fun of his government’s intentions, he said: “Three days later the news will be run – Kejriwal shifted to a bungalow, Kejriwal got himself a big car–We are not saying no to cars, else how will our ministers work.”
He also reached out to his main rivals in the battle for Delhi. “I respect Kiran Bedi, she is like my elder sister. She has good experience in administration, I need her advice. I will cooperate with Ajay Maken, too. I will involve everyone to make Delhi an ideal state,” he said.