Kejri vows statehood, an end to corruption

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Delhi’s common man chief minister in front of a sellout Ramlila Maidan crowd Saturday, promising statehood, an end to corruption and VIP culture, and the security of people of all faiths in the next five years that he would devote solely to the city.

A day to the year he ended his first stint as CM after a chaotic 49-day reign, the Aam Aadmi Party chief presented a slightly older, much wiser persona as he profusely thanked Delhiites for giving him a second chance and assured them that this time, he was here to stay. “I have decided that for the next five years, we (AAP) will focus only on Delhi. I will serve Delhi with all my heart,” he said.

“I knew the people of Delhi loved me but I did not know they loved me this much,” he said, referring to the party’s record sweep of 67 of the assembly’s 70 seats that he called a “miracle of God”.

Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 46-yearold Kejriwal and his six ministers — who, with an average age of 42, make up one of the youngest cabinets in the country. In a section of the crowd, his family watched with pride while the one lakh-strong audience — a sea of white caps waving tricolours — rent the air with cheers.

Showing his seriousness about statehood for Delhi, the CM said, “In every poll manifesto, the BJP has promised statehood to Delhi and now that there is (a) BJP (government) at the Centre and a majority AAP government in Delhi, I am hopeful Prime Minister Narendra Modi will think about giving Delhi full statehood. This is a golden opportunity to give Delhi its due.”

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