Sunday Times 2
Anti-graft leader gets second chance as Delhi chief
View(s):NEW DELHI, Feb 14 (AFP) -Tens of thousands of supporters gathered today to see Arvind Kejriwal sworn in as Delhi chief minister for the second time after his upstart anti-corruption party won one of the biggest election victories the Indian capital has ever seen.
Arvind Kejriwal's supporters were delirious after his historic election victory last Satruday (Reuters)
The 46-year-old former civil servant’s Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP) won all but three of the 70 seats in state elections after pledges to tackle entrenched corruption and lower utility bills won over legions of working-class voters willing to give him another chance.
His first term as chief minister lasted just 49 days and ended in chaos a year ago, sparking accusations he was fleeing the tough job of administration.
Before last Saturday’s election he apologised for leaving voters without an elected government for a year, telling the Times of India daily that he and his party had “evolved”.
Kejriwal’s style remains unconventional, but he appears eager to project a more grown-up image this time around.
Posters thanking voters for their support carried images of him dressed in a shirt and jacket and without the trademark woolly scarf that earned him the nickname “Muffler Man”.
He is expected to arrive at Saturday’s swearing-in by motorcade, after famously travelling by metro to his first inauguration, and has invited the whole city to attend using radio announcements and social media.
Around 100,000 people are expected to turn out for the open-air ceremony at the Ramlila ground where Kejriwal chose to have his first inauguration, in a break from the tradition of taking the oath in the state assembly.
Ramlila is considered the ground zero of India’s anti-corruption movement, where huge rallies were staged four years ago.
Hours before the swearing-in was due to start at midday (0630 GMT) thousands of people had already gathered at the ground, many wearing the white paper hats printed with the words ‘common man’ in Hindi for which the AAP party is known.
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