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Portfolio allocation in Delhi government was finalised on Monday, 17 February, soon after Arvind Kejriwal took charge as the Chief Minister at Delhi Secretariat. While Kejriwal will not be taking charge of any department, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will be under Satyendra Kumar Jain.
The Department of Environment has been allocated to Gopal Rai, and the Department of Women and Child Development has been allocated to Rajendra Pal Gautam.
Kejriwal, who took oath as Delhi chief minister for the third successive time on Sunday, Kejriwal said he wants to work in coordination with the Centre “towards making Delhi a city of pride for all Indians”.
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From sprucing up the sprawling ground to making traffic and security arrangements, workers and authorities were busy making preparations at the historic Ramlila Maidan for the swearing-in ceremony of Arvind Kejriwal as chief minister of Delhi for the third successive time on Sunday.
Big banners bearing messages like 'Dhanyawad Dilli' along with the image of the AAP chief were put up on Saturday in and around the venue ahead of the mega function which is "open to public".
With AAP scripting its third consecutive win in the Delhi Assembly elections, excitement is palpable among party workers and senior leaders alike, all of whom are expecting a huge crowd at the event.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, Arvind Kejriwal urged Delhiites to attend his oath-taking ceremony to bless "their son".
BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, on Saturday, 15 February, wrote to Kejriwal objecting to a circular that made it "compulsory" for government school teachers to attend his oath-taking ceremony as Delhi chief minister.
"By virtue of the order, 15,000 teachers and officials will have to attend the oath ceremony," Gupta, who has been re-elected from Rohini constituency, wrote in his letter to Kejriwal.
The BJP MLA, however, said he would attend Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony.
Sisodia rejected the BJP's allegations, saying the teachers have been invited not ordered. He said that the BJP does not know how to respect teachers and that is the reason they make such statements "Today a dream comes true. This dream is not just ours but of the people of Delhi and the real makers of Delhi - 'Delhi ke Nirmata'.
An AAP supporter listed his expectations from the Kejriwal government and said, “I'm happy with the work AAP has done over the past five years. Now we want them to resolve the inadequacies they hadn't addressed earlier. ”
Another supporter said, “We want the focus to remain on education and health.”
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, the AAP tweeted pictures of the huge gathering at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. “Everyone is here to bless ‘Delhi Ka Beta’ Arvind Kejriwal,” AAP said.
Delhi Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal arrives at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan for the swearing-in ceremony, reports ANI.
Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal also arrives at the venue for the swearing-in ceremony.
Traffic regulations have been put in place in the area adjoining Ramlila Maidan from 8 am to 2 pm for Arvind Kejriwal’s swearing-in ceremony.
Multi-level security arrangement has also been put in place. According to the police, 2,000 to 3,000 personnel from the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed as part of the security arrangements.
Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the Delhi Chief Minister for the third consecutive time at Ramlila Ground on Sunday, 16 February, retaining his old cabinet.
Along with Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Imran Hussain, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Kailash Gahlot and Gopal Rai took oath as council of ministers in the newly-sworn Delhi Cabinet.
Addressing the gathering after taking oath as the Delhi chief minister at Ramlila Maidan, Kejriwal said, “We forgive our opponents for remarks made during poll campaign,” adding that AAP wants to take everyone along.
Highlighting AAP’s work in the last five years, Kejrwal said, AAP wants to work with the Centre to make Delhi the “number one city.”
Kejriwal sought the blessings of PM Modi, who skipped the event to inaugurate various projects in Varanasi.
“I invited PM Narendra Modi Ji for this programme, but he could not come. I want to seek his blessings for the smooth governance and progress of Delhi,” Kejriwal said.
He wrapped up the ceremony by singing the Hindi song ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’.
Kejriwal responded to the BJP’s remark on AAP wooing voters by providing freebies and said, “All the valuable things in this world are free, be it mother’s love, father’s blessings...Kejriwal’s love for Delhi is also free.”
AAP leader Raghav Chadha met ‘junior mufflerman’, a baby dressed up as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and clicked a selfie with him.
“It was his mother's idea to dress him up like Arvind Kejriwal. At this age,he can just copy his attire but as he grows, we'll try that he becomes an honest and a hard-working person like Arvind Kejriwal. We all like Kejriwal sir and his policies,” his father told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Arvind Kejriwal on taking oath as Delhi chief minister and extended best wishes to him for a fruitful tenure.
The prime minister, who was on a day-long visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, was invited to Arvind Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony but couldn't attend.
Kejriwal, in a swift response, said he wished the PM had attended the event.
Arvind Kejriwal took charge as Chief Minister, at Delhi Secretariat earlier today. Aam Aadmi Party won 62 out of 70 seats in Delhi assembly elections.
Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai told ANI that AAP will hold a campaign from 23rd February to 23 March in all the States to help people join the Aam Aadmi Party, he further mentioned that the party’s aim is to make 1 Crore people join this campaign.
Portfolio allocation in Delhi Govt has been finalised. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be taking charge of any Department. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to be under Satyendra Kumar Jain.
The Department of Environment has been allocated to Gopal Rai, and the Department of Women and Child Development has been allocated to Rajendra Pal Gautam.