Kejriwal hails birth of new politics

Wednesday 19th February 2020 04:38 EST
 
 

Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in for a third consecutive term as chief minister of Delhi, along with his cabinet, by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Sunday afternoon at Ramlila Maidan as a capacity crowd cheered. Addressing the people later, he attributed his overwhelming victory to the common man of Delhi, making the Aam Aadmi Party’s “new kind of politics” the centrepiece of the celebrations.

“The people of Delhi have given birth to new politics in the country. This is the politics of work - schools, hospital, 24-hour cheap power supply, water, good roads, women’s security, a corruption-free city - politics of 21st century India,” he said, in remarks that were the closest he came to making a national pitch. He said this had started resonating across the country and other states were either emulating it or being denied any reason not to do so with people asking, “If Delhi can do it, why can’t you?”

And, in an apparent gesture to people migrating to the city, he told those already here to call up people in their villages and say, “Hamara beta CM ban gaya dobara, chinta ki koi baat nahi hai” (Our son has become the CM again and you need not worry anymore). This was a direct call to AAP’s core support base in slums and unauthorised colonies.

He defended AAP’s freebies - free power, water, bus rides for women etc - with the remark: “Everything precious in the world created by God is free...Kejriwal loves people of Delhi and they love Kejriwal. This love is also priceless.” He added: “Do I start charging people for education and health? Do I start charging patients for their operations? That is not possible.”


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