Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was on Saturday sworn-in as the eighth chief minister of Delhi.
He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Najeeb Jung, at the sprawling Ramlila Ground here in front of tens of thousands of AAP supporters.
Following his taking of oath, six other AAP leaders – Manish Sisodia, Asim Ahmed Khan, Sandeep Kumar, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai and Jitender Singh Tomar were also in the process of being sworn-in as ministers.
President Pranab Mukherjee had earlier revoked the order issued on February 16, 2014, under Article 239AB of the Constitution in relation to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with effect from February 14, 2015.
He appointed Kejriwal as the Chief Minister of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi with effect from the date he is sworn-in.
President Mukherjee had on the advice of the Chief Minister also appointed six AAP leaders as ministers with effect from the date they are sworn-in.
Kejriwal, who led his party to a stunning victory in the recently concluded assembly polls, is expected to keep the key portfolios of Home, Power and Finance with himself.
His colleague and the new deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, will get to keep the Education, PWD and Urban Development portfolios.
Satyendar Jain, who had handled the Health and Industry portfolios in the earlier AAP-led government, is expected to retain the same portfolio.
Gopal Rai, a senior party leader and Political Affairs Committee member of AAP, is tipped be to the next Transport and Labour Minister. Sandeep Kumar, a lawyer by profession, is likely to handle Women and Child Welfare Department and SC and ST Welfare, while Jitender Singh Tomar, also a lawyer, is expected to handle the Law Department. Asim Ahmed Khan is likely to be given the charge of Food and Civil Supplies and Minority Affairs ministries.
This will be Kejriwal’s second term as Delhi Chief Minister. He had resigned in February last year after running a 49-day-old government with the support of Congress.
(ANI)