The oath taking ceremony of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was an impressive event laced with many shades of the city and its people. Ministers too deviated from the established norms and took oath in the name of Allah, martyrs and Lord Buddha.
Though the AAP had invited all the seven BJP MPs and 8 newly elected MLAs to the ceremony, only Leader of Opposition in the last Delhi Assembly, who won from Rohini Vijender Gupta, attended Kejriwal and his Ministers’ swearing-in ceremony.
“Little Mufflerman” who created quite a buzz during AAP’s poll campaign, was the cynosure along with elected legislatures and those present during the swearing-in-ceremony of the AAP-led Government.
With AAP chief Kejriwal, six Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and his colleagues including Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Kailash Gahlot, Rajendra Pal Gautam took the pledge and oath as the Ministers of the new Cabinet of the Delhi Government on Sunday.
It has been learnt that Ministers will hold the same portfolios that they held during the last Government. There was no official communiqué from the Chief Minister’s office about the changes in portfolios.
Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain who earlier headed the Labour Department and Food and Supply as Ministers also sworn in on Sunday for the new term.
Gautam who is likely to retain his portfolio of Social Welfare Department took the pledge in the name of Lord Buddha. While other Ministers took oath in the name of freedom struggle martyrs.
Satyendar Jain held the portfolio of Health, Home and Public Works Department (PWD). While Manish Sisodia, the man behind the revamp of Delhi Education model and school, held the department of Education and Finance.
Kailash Gahlot who won the seat from Nazafgarh, is the brains behind Delhi Transport department and its model such as free ride scheme for woman, bus marshals, new buses including electric and route rationalisation.
Besides, the swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal who administered the oath of ‘office and secrecy’ at the ceremony and Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev was also present. Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 62 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, while the BJP could only made up to eight seats.