First session of Delhi assembly takes off
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his newly elected legislators take oath on first day of the assembly session.
The New Year day dawned with Delhi’s newly elected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team of elected Members of the Legislative Assembly taking oath as legislators.
News reports said that despite a bout of ill health Chief Minister Kejriwal ignored his doctor’s advice to rest and proceeded to work.
He turned up in his trademark white cap and took his place in the first session of the assembly with the elected members of his party.
Mateen Ahmed, the Congress leader and pro-tem Speaker of the assembly administered the oath to Kejriwal and his cabinet members.
Today marks the beginning of a seven-day sitting of the state assembly during which Chief Minister Kejriwal is expected to seek a confidence vote on Thursday to continue in office.
AAP has named first-time legislator MS Dhir as its candidate for the Speaker’s post. The Speaker and deputy Speaker will be elected on Friday during the assembly session.
Crucial session
The maiden session is critical for Chief Minister Kejriwal and his party.
He will have to prove his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has the numbers to lead the state and be chief minister for the whole term.
He will seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the assembly in this seven-day sitting of the state assembly.
The 70-member Delhi legislative assembly needs a ruling party to have more than half its members.
The AAP has only 28 elected members and needs the 36 members to continue in office.
With reluctance Kejriwal had assumed power relying on the Congress party which has eight legislators to offer external support.
Political debutant Kejriwal made history when his party won 28 seats in their maiden election defeating three-time elected Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikhsit, in the New Delhi constituency.
On December 28, Kejriwal and his six-member cabinet’s swearing in ceremony received unprecedented public support in New Delhi.
Within days of assuming office, Kejriwal promised subsidies including 50 per cent cut in electricity tariffs for people who consume up to 400 units of power and deliver his electoral promise of offering free water.