Anna Hazare says Kejriwal a model for all apoliticians

Ralegan Siddhi – Social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday said that whatever Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was doing as a common man should be done by all politicians for the progress of the country.

“Today Arvind is taking oath as Delhi CM. Whatever Arvind is doing as a common man should be done by politicians; only then will the nation progress,” said Hazare.

“In politics whatever deeds we do, we should do it without expecting results. Worship is not restricted to temples only. Nation is a temple and public is the god and serving the society is also equivalent to worship,” he said.

Commenting on his expectations from Arvind Kejriwal as the Delhi Chief Minister he said he believed Kejriwal would do well.

“We were together since many years. I believe that he will do good work,” he said.

“I have sent him a message that he has my blessings and greetings and I congratulated him. My blessings are also with people who are taking an oath with him,” he added.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal was sworn-in as the seventh chief minister of Delhi at noon on Saturday by Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.

Along with Kejriwal, six other AAP MLAs were also administered oath of office and secrecy.

The swearing-in ceremony was witnessed by tens of thousands of people, a majority of them AAP supporters, who cheered boisterously as the oath was taken. They also waved coloured balloons and the tricolor.

Earlier, Kejriwal and AAP MLAs traveled to the formal swearing-in ceremony at Delhi’s Ram Lila Ground on the Delhi Metro.

Kejriwal becomes Delhi’s youngest chief minister today at the age of 45.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Kejriwal and AAP legislators will hold their first cabinet meeting. They are expected to work on Sunday as well.

He has been asked to prove his majority in the state assembly by January 3.

His first big challenge is to grapple with a 10 per cent hike in CNG prices, announced on Thursday.

Auto drivers in the city, who form a huge section of his supporters, have threatened a strike.

Kejriwal said yesterday he would see if the hike could be reversed. If that’s not feasible, he said, auto fares are likely to increase.

The former Indian Revenue Service official has promised to disassemble Delhi’s VIP culture. Neither he, nor other AAP lawmakers will use the flashing red lights that give politicians’ cars the right of way on roads. They have also refused large government bungalows and say they want small flats as their official accommodation.

It was those principles and a declaration of war against corruption that gave AAP 28 seats and a second place finish in the December 4 elections.

The BJP and allies got the most — 32 — while the Congress finished third with just eight seats.