11:20 am: Arvind Kejriwal leaves his residence to go to Ramlila Maidan, where he will be sworn-in as Delhi’s new chief minister today.
10:53 am: Arvind Kejriwal’s family leaves residence to attend swearing-in ceremony. Kejriwal will leave for Ramlila Maidan shortly.
10:14 am: Actor Jaaved Jaaferi, who had joined AAP last year, shared a picture of the party leaders on Twitter.
9:55 am: Talking to reporters, senior AAP leader Dr Kumar Vishwas says it is important day for Swaraj. I extend my good wishes to Arvind Kejriwal and the entire Cabinet, adds Vishwas.
9:45 am: AAP’s new poster is out in which “Mufflerman” Arvind Kejriwal is seen without his trademark sweater and muffler. Donning a light blue shirt and Nehru jacket, Kejriwal, in the new banner, thanks every citizen of Delhi for the historic mandate to his Aam Aadmi Party.
9:30 am: AAP ka Cola and AAP ka Lemon are being distributed at Ramlila Maidan.
9:20 am: According to reports, Arvind Kejriwal is down with fever and doctors have arrived at his residence to attend him. Doctors have advised him to take complete rest. There can be a change in his schedule today.
9:00 am: Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, who was the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in the Delhi Assembly Elections, tweeted:
8:55 am: Shakurbasti MLA Satyendra Kumar Jain says all 67 MLAs will be given responsibilities. “The priority is to fulfill promises that we made to people.”
8:50 am: Actor Javed Jaffrey, who had fought Lok Sabha polls on AAP ticket, is at Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.
8:46 am: Talking to a news agency, Manish Sisodia’s wife, Seema Sisodia, says all promises will be fulfilled, though it may take some time. “Electricity, water, school admission, women security are key issues.”
8:43 am: Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia says: “If conscience is clear, there is no fear. We just have to work with honesty.”
8:30 am: Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as Delhi’s CM at around noon today.
8:25 am: Arvind Kejriwal, along with his family members, will leave his residence in Kaushambhi at 10:00 am. Unlike last time, he will not be taking the Metro but travel by car to the venue of swearing-in ceremony.
8:15 am: Around 1,200 Delhi Police personnel will keep a tight vigil at the Ramlila ground where a large crowd is expected to gather. The Security Wing will secure the stage where Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Kejriwal and six other ministers.
8:05 am: 46-year-old Kejriwal, in a radio message, has already invited people of Delhi to his swearing-in ceremony at the Ramlila ground — the protest venue of the anti-graft campaign over three years ago.
8:00 am: Exactly one year after he quit over Janlokpal issue, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal will on Saturday take oath at the historic Ramlila Grounds as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi, after leading AAP to a stupendous victory in the Assembly polls trouncing BJP.
Earlier story:
President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday night appointed AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister and six other party leaders as Cabinet ministers, four of whom are first time legislators, and signed an order to revoke Central rule from Saturday.
A Home Ministry statement said President appointed Kejriwal as the Chief Minister of Delhi with effect from the date he is sworn in.
Kejriwal is set to take oath as chief minister along with his Cabinet on Saturday at the historic Ramlila Maidan, the protest venue of the anti-graft campaigners over three years ago.
“The President on the advise of the Chief Minister has also appointed Manish Sisodia, Asim Ahmed Khan, Sandeep Kumar, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai and Jitender Singh Tomar as Ministers of Delhi,” the statement said.
Kejriwal is expected to keep the key portfolios of home, power and finance with himself while giving education, PWD and urban development to his confidante Sisodia, AAP sources said.
The departments to be handled by Kejriwal and Sisodia, who will be the Deputy Chief Minister, also needs direct dealing with the Centre.
Jain, who had handled the Health and Industry in the earlier AAP rule, is expected to retain the same portfolios, sources said.
Rai, a senior party leader and Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member, is tipped be to the next Transport and Labour Minister.
Kumar, a lawyer by profession, is likely to handle Women and Child Welfare department and SC and ST Welfare while Tomar, also a lawyer, is expected to handle the Law department.
Khan is likely to be given the charge of Food and Civil Supplies and Minority Affairs ministries.
Rai, Kumar, Tomar and Khan are first-time legislators.
President’s Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17 last year, after Kejriwal resigned as chief minister and President Mukherjee accepted his resignation.
In fresh elections, AAP staged a historic victory sweeping 67 of the 70 seats and leaving BJP which emerged as the single-largest party last time with only 3 seats.
This will be Kejriwal’s second term as Delhi chief minister, after he resigned last February after running a 49-day government in the national capital with the support of Congress.
