Kejriwal to take oath on Saturday, promises Jan Lokpal Bill in 15 days
26 Dec 2013 5:40 AM IST
Decks have been cleared for the swearing-in of the AAP government with outside support from the Congress on Saturday, 28 December. CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues will be administered oath of office by the Lt Governor Najeeb Jung at Ramlila Maidan at 12 noon on that day. The L-G’s official communication was handed over to Kejriwal by Delhi chief secretary DM Spolia who met him on Wednesday afternoon.
A press release issued by Delhi government said the President has directed that Kejriwal be asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House within seven days of his taking oath of office. Though the Congress on Wednesday maintained that it would lend support to AAP, it also made it clear that neither was the support unconditional nor for a full term of five years. Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit, the son of outgoing CM Sheila Dikshit, said there is no rethink in the party on lending support to AAP.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Wednesday said his party would pass its Jan Lokpal Bill within 15 days of forming the government in Delhi. Speaking at his Kaushambi residence in Ghaziabad town, Kejriwal said there were so many hurdles in the process, but AAP would tackle all issues.
‘This is something (support to AAP) that PCC president, MLAs and the others have taken. I go by what Janardhanji (AICC general secretary) said last evening and that the impression we all have that we are supporting them. There is no change in that. PCC President also said that our support is for their manifesto. If you are not able to implement your manifesto, if you not able to do all that you have been promising, I think all of us should wait and watch. We’re also the opposition. The role of the opposition is to oppose and to see that the government does what it is supposed to do, and what it has promised to do. I think we will play that role to the best of our ability,’ said Dikshit. Dikshit has even put out a timeline of three months for AAP.
In a related development, union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, who is considered close to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, said on Wednesday that there was the need for a ‘common minimum programme’ if the alliance between the two parties was to be a workable one.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that the party was not in an ‘alliance with the Congress.’ He said the party’s priority was to implement 18 issues that it promised in the manifesto. He said whichever party gives support on these issues, is welcome. ‘It is not for me to advice them. It is not for me to speculate the reasons why Congress may wish to take one decision or another decision. As we have clarified always, we do not have an alliance, we do not have a tie up, we do not even have an understanding. In the absence of that, there are no rights or obligations. They are an independent political party, a mature political party. It is for them to take a decision,’ he said.
The AAP had laid down 18 guidelines before the Congress before accepting any kind of support from them which are ending VIP culture, special security, special funds, and Lutyens’ bungalows for ministers, passage of Jan Lokpal bill in Delhi assembly, implying consent for probing scams under Congress and BJP watch, Swaraj: People to decide on issues related to their mohallas, colonies and bylanes, full statehood for Delhi, with control over DDA and Delhi police, audit of discom accounts for setting fair power tariff, independent agency to test calibration of power meters; excess billed amount to be refunded to consumers, crackdown on water mafia, reorganisation of Delhi Jal Board, and 700-litre free water supply to every home, regularisation of all unauthorised colonies within one year, no demolition of slums until their residents are given pucca homes on easy terms, no contractual employment of blue- and whitecollar workers in the government sector, simplification of VAT, rates, and better infrastructure for industry, no FDI in retail in Delhi, special protection force for women; new courts and more judges to decide cases of crime against women in 3-6 months, no acquisition of village land without gram sabha permission; increase in lal dora land, 500 new government schools; end system of donation in private schools, opening new government hospitals, new courts and more judges to solve all other cases within six months to one year, build pressure on Centre for solutions to city’s problems.
The AAP had also promised it would expose several scams within days of coming to power in the
national capital.
A press release issued by Delhi government said the President has directed that Kejriwal be asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House within seven days of his taking oath of office. Though the Congress on Wednesday maintained that it would lend support to AAP, it also made it clear that neither was the support unconditional nor for a full term of five years. Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit, the son of outgoing CM Sheila Dikshit, said there is no rethink in the party on lending support to AAP.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Wednesday said his party would pass its Jan Lokpal Bill within 15 days of forming the government in Delhi. Speaking at his Kaushambi residence in Ghaziabad town, Kejriwal said there were so many hurdles in the process, but AAP would tackle all issues.
‘This is something (support to AAP) that PCC president, MLAs and the others have taken. I go by what Janardhanji (AICC general secretary) said last evening and that the impression we all have that we are supporting them. There is no change in that. PCC President also said that our support is for their manifesto. If you are not able to implement your manifesto, if you not able to do all that you have been promising, I think all of us should wait and watch. We’re also the opposition. The role of the opposition is to oppose and to see that the government does what it is supposed to do, and what it has promised to do. I think we will play that role to the best of our ability,’ said Dikshit. Dikshit has even put out a timeline of three months for AAP.
In a related development, union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, who is considered close to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, said on Wednesday that there was the need for a ‘common minimum programme’ if the alliance between the two parties was to be a workable one.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that the party was not in an ‘alliance with the Congress.’ He said the party’s priority was to implement 18 issues that it promised in the manifesto. He said whichever party gives support on these issues, is welcome. ‘It is not for me to advice them. It is not for me to speculate the reasons why Congress may wish to take one decision or another decision. As we have clarified always, we do not have an alliance, we do not have a tie up, we do not even have an understanding. In the absence of that, there are no rights or obligations. They are an independent political party, a mature political party. It is for them to take a decision,’ he said.
The AAP had laid down 18 guidelines before the Congress before accepting any kind of support from them which are ending VIP culture, special security, special funds, and Lutyens’ bungalows for ministers, passage of Jan Lokpal bill in Delhi assembly, implying consent for probing scams under Congress and BJP watch, Swaraj: People to decide on issues related to their mohallas, colonies and bylanes, full statehood for Delhi, with control over DDA and Delhi police, audit of discom accounts for setting fair power tariff, independent agency to test calibration of power meters; excess billed amount to be refunded to consumers, crackdown on water mafia, reorganisation of Delhi Jal Board, and 700-litre free water supply to every home, regularisation of all unauthorised colonies within one year, no demolition of slums until their residents are given pucca homes on easy terms, no contractual employment of blue- and whitecollar workers in the government sector, simplification of VAT, rates, and better infrastructure for industry, no FDI in retail in Delhi, special protection force for women; new courts and more judges to decide cases of crime against women in 3-6 months, no acquisition of village land without gram sabha permission; increase in lal dora land, 500 new government schools; end system of donation in private schools, opening new government hospitals, new courts and more judges to solve all other cases within six months to one year, build pressure on Centre for solutions to city’s problems.
The AAP had also promised it would expose several scams within days of coming to power in the
national capital.
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