Arvind Kejriwal cracks whip, wants tainted list

New Delhi: Even before officially taking over as Delhi’s fifth Chief Minister, Aam Aadmi Party founder-chief Arvind Kejriwal has asked for a list of officers of all ranks against whom corruption-related complaints are pending.

Kejriwal told chief secretary D.M. Sapolia, who met him at his Kaushambi residence on Tuesday, that he would like to know details of each and every complaint pending against government officials, sources said.

It is learnt that Sapolia asked the CM-designate if he would like to move into the CM’s official bungalow after his swearing-in, to which Kejriwal responded that neither he nor any of his ministers or MLAs would live in government accommodation. He also told the officer that his ministers and MLAs would not use official cars or red beacons.

Sources close to Kejriwal said that his top priority would be to slash electricity tariffs by 50 per cent and provide 700 litres of free drinking water to each household every day.

Bijli, Paani AAP’s top priority

The AAP’s top priority after forming government in Delhi will be to provide 700 litres of free drinking water to each household every day. A senior party leader said, “We know for sure that 15 MLAs of both the Congress and the BJP have been running a water mafia in Delhi.”

He added, “Though there is no dearth of drinking water in Delhi, the government has been purchasing water from private parties with a direct link with these legislators.”

Sources said members of two unions told Kejriwal that 30 per cent of power tariffs could easily be slashed if the government was able to control the blatant illegal use of electricity.

Next: Denied berth, AAP MLA kicks up row

Denied berth, AAP MLA kicks up row

Ghaziabad: In a dissent of sorts in the Aam Aadmi Party, a newly-elected MLA and a ministerial hopeful on Tuesday walked out of a meeting in party convener Arvind Kejriwal’s house after coming to know that he is not among the probable ministers of the new Delhi government.

Vinod Kumar Binny, who defeated health minister A.K. Walia of the outgoing Congress government, was unhappy about not getting a ministerial berth.

While he did not talk to the waiting media, he merely said that he may hold a press conference on Wednesday which could be “embarrassing”. AAP sources said that he was upset after his name was removed from the list of probables at the instance of a senior party leader to include Madipur MLA Girish Soni’s name.

Senior leaders, including Yogendra Yadav, are said to be involved in efforts to pacify him and sources said that he has been offered the post of Assembly Speaker.