AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal took oath on Saturday at the historic Ramlila Ground as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi.
Exactly one year after he quit over the Jan Lokpal issue, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal took oath on Saturday at the historic Ramlila Ground as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi, after leading AAP to a stupendous victory in the assembly polls trouncing BJP.
Aam Aadmi Party senior members took oath as cabinet ministers.
Arvind Kejriwal in his speech after taking oath said, "I knew people of Delhi love me, but didnt know they love me so much. We have come to power again, God has given us a full majority this time unlike the last time. When the results came, it felt like it was raining seats for us."
"People from every sect, religion, rich, poor everyone voted. God is trying to tell us something," Kejriwal added.
He reflected upon AAP's defeat in Lok Sabha elections and his current victory. He said that the cause for AAP's huge loss during last year's Lok Sabha polls was due to 'arrogance' of fighting elections from many states.
"... we all workers, ministers, supporters need to keep ourselves in check & never be egoistic. AAP workers have been saying they will contest polls from elsewhere now, it is not good. We will have to be careful not to allow 'ahankar' (arrogance) to come in us because of huge mandate.
"Why did Congress and BJP lose? Because they became arrogant. It was due to our arrogance that we were overambitious in the Lok Sabha elections, we were taught a lesson," Kejriwal said.
Read highlights of Kejriwal's piece here
Kejriwal taking oath as the chief minister.
Asim Ahmed Khan takes oath as a Cabinet minister at Ramleela Maidaan
AAP members Sanjeev Kumar and Satyendar Jain took oath as members of Cabinet in Kejriwal's government
Gopal Rai took oath as Cabinet minister
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kiran Bedi on Saturday said that it was a day of celebration and reflection. “Today is a day of celebration and reflection. When both the processes are done with true responsibility and commitment, India is the real winner,” tweeted Bedi.
Kejriwal with Team AAP have reached the venue. Lt Gen Najeeb Jung too has reached Ramlila Ground for swearing-in ceremony.
Gul Panag,AAP member said, "Thankful to the people that they showed their faith in our party, I am confident we will be able to fulfil all our promises
Satyendar Jain, had handled the Health and Industry portfolios in the earlier AAP-led government, is expected to retain the same portfolio. Gopal Rai, a senior party leader and Political Affairs Committee member of AAP, is tipped be to the next Transport and Labour Minister. Sandeep Kumar, a lawyer by profession, is likely to handle Women and Child Welfare Department and SC and ST Welfare, while Jitender Singh Tomar, also a lawyer, is expected to handle the Law Department. Asim Ahmed Khan is likely to be given the charge of Food and Civil Supplies and Minority Affairs ministries.
Shahdara MLA Ramniwas Goel could be the Speaker of the Assembly while Bandana Kumari, from Shalimar Bag constituency, will be Deputy Speaker, AAP sources said.
However, according to News channel reports, Kejriwal had been unwell and running a fever. Kejriwal and his family have left for the venue
Kejriwal is expected to keep the key portfolios of Home, Power and Finance with himself, while giving Education, PWD and Urban Development to his confidante Manish Sisodia, who will also be the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi.
46-year-old Kejriwal, in a radio message, had already invited people of Delhi to his swearing in ceremony at the Ramlila ground --the protest venue of the anti-graft campaign over three years ago. North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), which had started preparations for the oath ceremony two days back, today gave final touches to the arrangements at the venue in Central Delhi.
The municipal officials said preparations for the event were near complete. Around 1,200 Delhi Police personnel will keep a tight vigil at the venue where a large crowd is expected to gather.
Picture story: Preparations at Ramlila Maidan for Arvind Kejriwal's oath taking ceremony
The Security Wing will secure the stage where Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Kejriwal and five other Ministers. Kejriwal is expected to unveil his priorities for the government after taking oath.
Do Read: Ramlila Maidan ready to welcome Delhi's new CM Arvind Kejriwal
He has already asked Chief Secretary DM Spolia to start work on a roadmap to implement AAP's 70-point election manifesto.
Sources in the government said Chief Secretary Spolia has directed all the departments to prepare separate roadmaps to implement AAP's 70-point manifesto and they are making specific presentations to be made before the new Chief Minister.
The AAP's manifesto includes 50% cut in power tariff, free Wi-Fi across the city, installation of 10-15 lakh CCTVs, building of two lakh public toilets across Delhi, setting up of 20 new colleges and regulating fees in private schools.
It also promised addition of 30,000 more beds in Delhi hospitals and creation of eight lakh new jobs in the next five years. Releasing the manifesto last month, Kejriwal had announced that an AAP government will slash electricity tariff by 50% and carry out a thorough audit of the private power distribution companies based on which rates will be revised.
Kejriwal had on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invited him to the oath-taking ceremony but Modi expressed his inability to attend it as he has prior engagement in Maharashtra. The AAP Chief was accompanied by Sisodia.
The Prime Minister informed him that he will be out of Delhi on Saturday and will not be able to attend the ceremony, Sisodia told reporters after the meeting. The AAP leader had on Wednesday invited Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to the oath-taking ceremony in separate meetings Kejriwal had with them. All the seven MPs of Delhi have also been invited to the event.
With agency inputs
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