Delhi with Arvind Kejriwal. Aam Aadmi Party wins trust vote

mangaloretoday.com

New Delhi, Jan 02, 2014:  Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi, has demonstrated on the floor of the state legislature that he has the support of 36 of Delhi’s 70 MLA’s, a clear majority.

He won a trust vote this evening with the support of eight legislators of the Congress. The BJP’s 31 legislators opposed him. Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has 28 members in the Delhi Assembly.

 

Here are the 10 big developments in this story:

    In his speech before the vote, Mr Kejriwal said, "I have not stood up here to save a government...we want swaraaj, the people’s rule, in Delhi."

    Closing the debate on his trust motion, Mr Kejriwal, in a speech much shorter than leaders of other parties, presented the 17 points he said his government will focus on and emphasised that its raison de etre is to end corruption, because the aam aadmi or common man wants honest politics and an end to corruption.

    After Mr Kejriwal’s speech the chair asked those who supported him to stand and declared that he had won the confidence of the House.

    BJP speakers, led by Dr Harsh Vardhan, attacked Mr Kejriwal for accepting support from the Congress, a party who he has consistently described as corrupt.

 

    The Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely assured Mr Kejriwal that he would continue to enjoy the support of his party "till you keep taking decisions that benefit the people." He cautioned though that some of the swift decisions that Mr Kejriwal has taken in the last few days should have been better thought through.

    During the session, legislators from the BJP engaged in a nasty slanging match with lone Janata Dal United member Shoaib Iqbal, impelling a rebuke from the chair and a warning that security would be called in.

    Mr Kejriwal and members of his Aam Aadmi Party did not wear their trademark topis or caps for the proceedings today. The BJP has said wearing caps inside the house is disrespectful.

    Dr Harsh Vardhan censured Aam Admi Ministers for using metro rides to work as a photo-op. "You are breaking the rules of the metro and causing a security problem for other commuters," he said.

    Dr Harsh Vardhan also said that the AAPs populist moves are evoking "wah-wah" just now, but the praise will soon fade once it becomes clear that the policies are ill-advised. He said that the free 700 litres of water guaranteed everyday to households "will force many to use their neighbours’ toilets to save water."

    In the five days since he was sworn in chief minister, Mr Kejriwal has announced free water, a 50 per cent cut in electricity tariffs, an audit of the three major power distribution companies in the capital and, in a late evening decision yesterday, new shelters for the homeless within 48 hours.