New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national Convener Arvind Kejriwal, the main architect of his party's landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly election, is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister on February 16 for the third consecutive time at the historic Ramlila Maidan in a grand ceremony that will be open to public. Invites will likely be sent out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu, Akhilesh Yadav, Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan, H D Kumaraswamy besides other Opposition leaders. Sources claimed that Prashant Kishor is likely to finalise the list of invitees soon while arrangements at the venue will be done by the LG House.
A source in the party said the AAP has planned a mass mobilisation of people for the mega event on Sunday and all the newly-elected party MLAs have been asked to ensure huge participation from their respective constituencies. "I request the people of Delhi to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Minister at the Ramlila Maidan in large numbers," Manish Sisodia said, adding that the ceremony will take place at 10 am. He went on to thank the two crore people of Delhi and stated: "Heartiest congratulations to the people of Delhi. They have given huge respect to the politics of work."
Taking a dig at the BJP, Sisodia said people have outrightly rejected the "politics of hatred".
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held at Ramlila Maidan where Kejriwal had taken oath as the Chief Minister twice before. The venue holds a special significance for the party as it was from this ground that Kejriwal along with Anna Hazare led a massive anti-corruption agitation that eventually proved to be a launching board for his political career. Sisodia, who was the Deputy Chief Minister in the outgoing government, said all Cabinet ministers will also take oath along with Kejriwal at the event.
According to the party, no decision has been taken yet on the names who would make it to the new Cabinet, but sources said Kejriwal is likely to retain all the outgoing ministers. Earlier in the day, he held a meeting with the newly-elected MLAs at his official residence. The MLAs also elected him the Leader of Legislature Party, a formality necessary to stake claim to form the government. On Wednesday morning, Kejriwal also met the Lieutenant Governor. "It was a one-on-one meeting in which he discussed the formation of the new government with the LG," the officials said.