Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues, anti-corruption leader Anna Hazare and former colleagues of 2011 movement including Kiran Bedi are in the list of dignitaries being invited to the oath taking ceremony of Delhi’s Chief Minister elect Arvind Kejriwal scheduled for February 14 at the historic Ramlila ground. The party has not invited the Chief Ministers of any other state or leaders of any regional parties.
“The Chief Minister designate of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10.30 am on Thursday and formally invite him to attend the oath ceremony at Ramlila Ground. We are also sending invitations to all the cabinet ministers of the Central government,” said Nagender Sharma, spokesperson of Aam Aadmi Party told Millennium Post.
“We are also sending invitations to Anna Hazare and BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi as she was associated with the Lokpal movement,” he added. Are you inviting any chief minister of non-BJP ruled state or any leader of any other political party? “We are not inviting any chief minister in the oath taking ceremony. No leader of any regional or national party is being invited either,” said Sharma.
He also emphasised that telephonic invitation has been made to the three BJP MLAs to attend the ceremony but no formal invitation would be sent to them. Sharma, however, could not confirm on how many Union Ministers are expected to attend. “We are doing our job, it on them to decide,” he added.
It’s important to mention that neither Anna Hazare nor Kiran Bedi had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Kejriwal in 2013. “Not I but you all will become chief minister. I request you all to take oath with me to make Delhi a better place to live,” appealed Kejriwal to his followers on social media and invited them to attend the swearing-in ceremony. However, the schedule is yet to be finalised AAP office bearers indicated that it will be between 11.30 am to 2 pm on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal met Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. “Met Venkaiah Naidu ji and Rajnathji — the two people heading most important ministries for Delhi government. Invited them to swearing in ceremony. I explained to both of them that full statehood for Delhi was necessary to meet people’s expectations. We want constructive and healthy relationship with center,” said Kejriwal. Talking to reporters after the meeting, his colleague Manish Sisodia said, as there is a stable government at the centre and the city is also going to have a majority government, it is high time for both to work in tandem. Kejriwal’s mentor Anna Hazare, however, turned down the invite.