M A I N   N E W S

Arvind Kejriwal to be Delhi CM
AAP stakes claim to form govt; Lt Governor sends report to Centre
Tribune News Service

AAP chief refuses security cover Arvind Kejriwal on Monday refused the Delhi Police offer of security cover saying “God is his biggest security”. Additional Commissioner of Delhi (Security) V Renganathan had written to Kejriwal saying Delhi Police had been providing Z category security cover to Delhi CMs. Dikshit: Support not unconditional Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit on Monday made it clear that Congress support to the Aam Admi Party was ‘not unconditional’. She hoped the new party would be able to fulfil the promises made to the people. No comment: Hazare Anna Hazare on Monday declined to comment on Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP’s decision to form the new government in Delhi, but said he would express his views when his former protege acts on the Lokayukta issue.

New Delhi, December 23
Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal is set to take over as Delhi Chief Minister later this week with outside support to his party by the Congress, which was ousted from power in the recent Assembly elections.

He met Lt Governor Najeeb Jung today and handed over a letter staking claim to form the government after his party’s political affairs committee (PAC) met earlier in the day.

Kejriwal (45), once a close associate of Anna Hazare, will become the seventh and the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi. AAP spokesperson said the swearing-in ceremony would take place on December 26 at Ramlila Ground, where Anna Hazare led his anti-corruption movement two years ago.

Jung has sent the proposal to the Minister of Home Affairs for approval. He, however, said the date and venue of the swearing-in ceremony would be decided by the President.

“People have given an overwhelming response to the AAP to form the government in Delhi. AAP is ready to form the government and we will keep all our promises,” said the activist-turned politician while addressing mediapersons.

Patparganj MLA Manish Sisodia said the party conducted extensive polls and public meetings over the past one week to gauge public opinion and 74 per cent of the electorate wanted his party to form the government.

Of the 280 public meetings 257 were unanimously in favour of an AAP government. Based on the data collected from 272 wards through SMSes and online response, the AAP’s political affairs committee decided to take the plunge towards a “system change”.

“As declared before the assembly polls, Arvind Kejriwal is the CM,” Sisodia asserted.

The BJP attacked the AAP leadership for camouflaging a deal with the Congress for forming the government.

BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Dr Harsh Vardhan said AAP had betrayed the voters of Delhi by compromising with the Congress, which it had accused of scams.

“They (AAP) had promised a clean system but now they have formed a backdoor government with it (Congress),” he said.

Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel said the party’s decision was late and in no way reflective of Delhi’s 1.6 crore population’s views, as claimed by AAP. Shifting from Congress’ earlier stand of unconditional support to AAP, party’s outgoing Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said their outside support was not unconditional and would be based on performance.

The two parties targeted AAP for using “uncivil and unprofessional” language and reiterated that the tall promises, such as cutting down power tariff by 50 per cent and distributing 700 litres of free water to every household made by the AAP were “unachievable”.

On AAP’s decision to form a government, Kejriwal’s former ally Kiran Bedi, a retired IPS officer, said: “It is a tricky situation for him (Kejriwal) at the moment. He has taken a calculated risk… hope he delivers on the promises made.”