People of Delhi are the chief minister, not me: Kejriwal

Kaushambi – Delhi Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal today said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will fulfill its promises mentioned in its manifesto and added that people of Delhi would be the chief minister and not him.

Kejriwal, who will take oath on Saturday at the Ramlila Maidan as Delhi’s seventh chief minister, said: “Everyone is invited for the oath taking ceremony. I am not going to be the Chief Minister, but people of Delhi are.”

“Appeal to the people of Delhi, everyone should come to the Ramlila Maidan for the oath ceremony,” he added.

Reassuring the Delhiites, Kejriwal said that his party will deliver promises on time and has also chalked out plans about how to provide 700 litres of free water to the people.

On Wednesday, describing the menace of corruption as a very big issue for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Kejriwal has said that his minority government, which is being given outside support by the Congress, is determined to introduce and pass a Jan Lokpal Bill in the next 15 days.

Responding to reports in the media that it would be impossible for the AAP to pass a Jan Lokpal Bill within the next 15 days because rules of government do not permit, Kejriwal told media, “As per the Constitution, the Delhi State Assembly has the right to pass all laws, except those in the State List that may come in conflict with Central laws.”

“As I understand, in 2002, the Transaction of Business Rules were amended to read that all state governments would have to take the permission of the Central Government to pass any law. This , we feel, is wrong. This is something related to the time when the British were in power in India. Then, all administrative decisions related to India, had to be sent to London for approval. We are an independent country now, and we do not have to follow this,” Kejriwal added.

Kejriwal on Tuesday held consultations on government formation and the party named its ministers.

The AAP sent the names of six ministers – Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Somnath Bharti, Rakhi Birla, Satyendra Jain and Girish Soni to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

The AAP staked claim to form the government in Delhi after the BJP decided not to form the government.

The AAP had bagged 28 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly. The BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 31 seats while the Congress had stood a poor third with eight seats.