NEW DELHI, Dec 23:
Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today requested Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to allow him to take oath as Delhi Chief Minister on December 26 at Ramlila Maidan, from where the anti-corruption movement had started.
In an half-an-hour meeting with Jung, Arvind Kejriwal conveyed his party’s decision to form a Government in Delhi, and also requested him to allow the oath taking ceremony to be held at Ramlila Maidan on December 26.
Ramlila Maidan was the venue from where Anna Hazare along with Arvind Kejriwal and others started the anti-graft movement last year.
Sources said the LG has sent his report to the President citing all the discussions that took place between him and Arvind Kejriwal, along with his letter.
The LG office is now waiting for confirmation from the President regarding the Government formation, sources from LG office said.
Arvind Kejriwal said today that AAP has given a letter to Lt Governor expressing its readiness to form the Government.
“We were called by the Lt Governor to discuss Government formation on December 14. We had sought time to take a decision as ours is a party of common people and we wanted to take their views,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal said the decision was taken after a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee today morning in which the results of the referendum were discussed.
Kejriwal said reducing power tariff by 50 per cent, providing 700 litres water free to each household, implementing Janlokpal Bill and ending VIP culture will be high on his agenda.
“Our first priority will be power, water, Janlokpal Bill and ending the VIP culture (after assuming the power),” said Kejriwal.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that he had contested election not for himself but for the common man, who was burdened with corruption.
Today, it’s not me, but the common man has become the Chief Minister, the Minister and the MLA, he added.
Kejriwal said he was not worried if his Government would survive or fall during the confidence motion in the Assembly.
“We have not taken support from any parties, but all of them are saying that they are supporting us. We will bring the confidence motion on 18 important issues and others mentioned in our manifestos.
“The MLAs who have to support us, will give their support but if they fall the Government then there would be re-election, and we are prepared for that,” he said.
Kejriwal in his manifesto had promised to reduce the electricity tariff by 50 per cent, provide 700 litres of water free to every household, bring Janlokpal Bill in Delhi within 15 days of assuming power among other promises.
Asked if he was ready for the Lok Sabha polls, Kejriwal said it will be a tough task to handle the Parliamentary elections along with Delhi Government but “we will do it.”
Supporting his views, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas called upon those, who have kept themselves away from politics to come out and select a good candidate for the party to field from various places, to give a transparent Government.
Meanwhile, AAP has organised two day camp for its legislators to apprise them about the functioning of the House and the party’s aim and goals.
The newly-elected legislators were briefed about party’s vision of ‘Swaraj’ or decentralisation of power, functioning of Assembly and others by senior party leaders.
Meanwhile, Sheila Dikshit, whose 15-year-old reign was ended by Aam Admi Party in the Assembly polls, today made it clear that Congress support to it was “not unconditional”.
Welcoming AAP’s decision to form the Government, she hoped the new party will be able to fulfil the promises made to people.
“We had said that we will give them outside support. The support is not unconditional. I congratulate them for deciding to form Government and hope that they will be able to fulfil the promises they made to people of Delhi,” Dikshit told reporters.
Dikshit said Congress will continue its support to AAP as long it delivers but expressed doubts whether the party will be able to fulfil all its promises like cutting power tariff by 50 per cent and providing 700 litres of free water daily to each household.
“We will support them as long they deliver. We already knew that it is not possible to fulfil the kind of promises they made,” the three-time Chief Minister said.
“We are extending outside support. It is not unconditional. We are supporting them only for the policies they are talking about. If they can provide relief to the people of Delhi, it is well and good,” she said.
The Congress was trounced by the AAP in the December 4 polls as it managed to win only eight seats in the 70-member Assembly.
Dikshit was critical of AAP leaders as she accused them of using “uncivilised” language against the Congress even after it announced support to the new party.
“Their language is not good. It is uncivilised. We can criticise each other but the language should be civil,” she said.
Congress General Secretary in-charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said the party was with AAP. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel