Delhi's new CM: LG proposes Sept 21 for Atishi's swearing-in

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday proposed September 21 for the swearing-in of Chief Minister-designate Atishi following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal from the post.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said Kejriwal will also give up security and move out of the chief minister's residence in 15 days to live like a "commoner".

The oath ceremony of the new chief minister is likely to be held at Raj Niwas and expected to be a "low-key affair" in view of the circumstances of Kejriwal's resignation.

According to an AAP functionary, Atishi herself has said it was an extremely sad moment and urged party leaders and workers not to congratulate her.

A source in the LG Secretariat said that Saxena in a communication to President Droupadi Murmu proposed September 21 as the date for the swearing-in of CM-designate Atishi. The source said outgoing chief minister Kejriwal's resignation letter has also been moved to Murmu.

The development takes place a day after Atishi in a meeting with the LG staked claim to form the new government in the national capital after Kejriwal resigned from the CM's post.

As Atishi is set to become the next chief minister of Delhi, the buzz over the new members of her council of ministers has intensified.

AAP sources said party leaders Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain, who were ministers in the previous Kejriwal government, will be retained and two party MLAs will also be inducted in the new Cabinet.

"Since the Delhi Assembly polls are approaching, not much experiment is expected in the selection of members of council of ministers and old faces will most certainly be retained while two new ministers could join in," said a party leader.

The new chief minister will prove majority of her government in the Delhi Assembly and its session has been called by the ruling AAP dispensation on September 26-27.

The assembly's term ends on February 23 next year and elections are expected to be held sometime in early February.

Karol Bagh MLA Vishesh Ravi or Kuldeep Kumar from Kondli constituency could be inducted in the Cabinet to fill the vacancy created by resignation of then Social Welfare minister Raaj Kumar Anand, the AAP sources claimed.

Anand resigned from the Kejriwal government and quit AAP in April this year.

Meanwhile, AAP said Kejriwal will give up all government facilities, including security, and move out of his official residence in 15 days to live like a commoner.

The first thing Kejriwal talked about after submitting his resignation was his decision to leave the official residence, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said at a press conference here.

Search is on for a suitable accommodation for him and his family, Singh said. "Setting an example of honesty and sacrifice Arvind Kejriwal will leave the CM residence and also give up the government security," the party said in a post on its official X handle.

Kejriwal used to travel in an old blue Wagon R car even when he became the Delhi chief minister for the first time in 2013.

Singh said there are concerns about Kejriwal's security as well and he was "attacked several times" in the past.

"He has old parents, his wife and children. We are all worried about their safety. We tried to explain to him that his security was at risk. Still, he has decided to move out," Singh said.

Asked about Kejriwal's decision to give up security, a senior police officer said, "Since he is no longer the chief minister of Delhi, his security will be reviewed based on threat perception. But if he refuses security cover despite having threats, the Delhi Police will first try to convince him and inform the Ministry of Home Affairs about the status." Meanwhile, AAP claimed that if the BJP comes to power in Delhi, it will stop all free government schemes, including free electricity, mohalla clinics and education.

The saffron party hit back at the AAP leader, accusing him of "misleading" people.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh said only Kejriwal intends to provide these free facilities to the residents of Delhi and has been fighting to continue the schemes despite opposition from the BJP.

"The Kejriwal-led AAP government has been providing free education, electricity and medicines through mohalla clinics, among other things, to the residents of Delhi. If Kejriwal is not there, all these facilities will be stopped by the BJP," he claimed.

Reacting to this, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP leader of "misleading" people.

Sachdeva said only a few months ago, the LG said the free services, including electricity, water and ration, will continue.

Talking about Kejriwal's future action plan, another AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said the party will be holding rallies in Delhi where Kejriwal will interact with people to know about their decision on his "honesty".

Talking to PTI, Pathak, who is also the party's national general secretary (organisation), said Kejriwal did not resign while in jail to save "democracy and the Constitution".

"The question arises -- why did he resign now? Whenever you try to suppress him, he won't bow down and stand like a mountain.

"He resigned now because of his ideals. The BJP is toppling governments everywhere but when their chariot reached Delhi to do the same, Kejriwal diffused their plan by not resigning when he was in jail," Pathak said. PTI