Baijal takes oath as Delhi’s Lt Governor, Kejriwal welcomes him

NEW DELHI: Former Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal (pictured) on Saturday took over as the new Lt Governor of Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hoping for better relations with him compared to his predecessor Najeeb Jung.

Both Baijal and Kejriwal expressed hope to work in coordination with each other and resolve any issues that may arise by “sitting together”.

Soon after taking the oath of office, Baijal told reporters here he will try to resolve problems being faced by Delhi, and will sit together with Kejriwal to resolve the conflict between his office and the elected government.

“I don’t know how they (relations with Aam Aadmi Party government) will improve and whether they will improve. We will sit together and find out how to go forward,” he said.

Welcoming Baijal, Kejriwal, who attended his oath ceremony, said he hoped for cooperation from the new Lt Governor to resume “stalled work”.

“I welcome him on behalf of the Delhi government and hope to work with him in the coming days for Delhi’s development,” he said.

“During the last few months, many of Delhi’s works were stopped. We hope that in the coming days, we will be able to resume them with the same pace with which they were being carried out earlier,” he added referring to Jung’s intervention in many of Delhi government’s decisions.

Baijal’s predecessor Jung was at loggerheads with Kejriwal and his ministers ever since the AAP swept to power in the national capital in February 2015.

In September, Jung set up a committee to review over 400 files related to decisions taken by the Delhi government. Baijal on Saturday morning was administered the oath of office by Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini at the Lt. Governor’s Office here.

Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues, many judges and senior officers of the central and Delhi governments were present at the ceremony. — IANS