Indian capital gets common man as new chief minister

India witnessed a historic occasion Saturday when a common man, Arvind Kejriwal, was sworn in as the seventh and youngest chief minister of Delhi. The lieutenant governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, administered the oath of office and secrecy to 45-year-old Kejriwal, the country's anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, at Ramlila Maidan in the heart of the national capital. Six others of AAP were also sworn in as ministers in the youngest ever Cabinet. "Today is a historic day. This time people of Delhi have shown that elections can be fought and won by honesty. We don't have a magic wand to solve all the issues, but we have firm believe that together we can work to solve all problems," the former civil servant-turned-politician told a gathering of more than 100,000 people who thronged the Ramlila Maidan from where he started his anti-graft movement. He added: "I plead with folded hands to all my ministers and workers, please do not become proud. Just for the common people politely. We are ready to face all challenges likely to come in the future." Kejriwal, who reached the swearing in ceremony venue by public transport and not on a red-beacon-fitted vehicle, also pledged to end corruption in front of the crowd. "We take this oath that from now and in future we will never offer or take bribe. If anyone asks for a bribe in government office, don't say no, but do file a complaint with us, and we will catch them all red-handed. If anyone asks for a bribe, report it to a special number to be activated in two days," he said, urging the crowd to chant: "Don't take bribes." The anti-corruption activist, who formed his Aam Aadmi Party ( Common People's Party) barely a half and a half ago after breaking off from his mentor and veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare, had a week back claimed a stake to form a minority government in Delhi, after India's ruling Congress party extended outside support to AAP. The AAP got 28 seats on its debut while the country's main opposition bagged 32 seats and the Congress -- which had ruled the Indian capital for the past 15 years -- managed to get only eight seats in the 70-member assembly. Kejriwal had earlier said that he would fulfill the party's poll promises of providing 700 liters of water free to every citizen in Delhi and halving the power tariff, among others. Experts say that AAP now aims to win Parliamentary seats, with general elections barely six months away. And, if the party fulfills its poll promises, then it is likely to make a spectacular debut in the Lower House of Parliament (the Lok Sabha) next year.