AAP warns Congress: No support, we shall quit; Kejriwal refuses to move to CM bungalow
New Delhi: Fulfilling one promise from its poll manifesto even before assuming office, the Aam Aadmi Party chief and chief minister designate Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday refused to move into a lavish bungalow usually allotted for chief minister.
Earlier, he had refused security cover and had preferred to travel in a Maruti car with no 'lal bathi’ (red beacon).
Other AAP leaders who are likely to become ministers may follow the footsteps of Kejriwal, sources said.
Read here: 36 AAP workers join BJP in UP
Delhi Chief Secretary DM Sapolia, who met Kejriwal in the morning, proposed a bungalow entitled for Chief Ministers. Kejriwal refused the offer.
Meanwhile, facing flak for taking support from the Congress, the AAP released a video justifying the move to form a government. In the video, AAP has made it clear that there is no alliance with the Congress which is only giving 'outside support.’
The party took the painstaking process of asking around 26 lakh people in Delhi and the video claims that the response is 'overwhelming' with majority saying 'yes'.
While explaining the function of the 'minority government', AAP promises to take action against previous corrupt ministers of both Congress and BJP and that no ministry will be given to the alliance party.
Read more here: Will take action against 'corrupt' ex-Cong ministers: Kejriwal
Further in the the video AAP vows to fulfil all 18 promises made for Delhi people and slams BJP’s strategy of attacking AAP from either way.
The party says ‘If we don’t form the govt, they will say we are running away, and if we form the govt they are saying we are the B-team of Congress”.
The video says that if the Congress refused to support the government on crucial issues, AAP would not hesitate to step down and go to the people.
Meanwhile, AAP is reportedly giving finishing touches to its Cabinet and shortlisting officers to serve as principal secretaries to its ministers.
On Monday, Kejriwal responded to a letter by the Additional Commissioner of Police Security on special security that was offered to him.
"Thank you for offering me the security. But as I already informed earlier, I don't need any security. I don't need any escort or PSO. God is my biggest security. However I would be grateful if some help is provided for crowd management at a few places where i get mobbed," he wrote in his letter to the Additional Commissioner of Police.
"The Delhi police has been providing security cover to the Chief Minister of Delhi as the Chief Minister is given 'Z' category protectee status. Since Mr Arvind Kejriwal is going to take over as Chief Minister of Delhi, Delhi Police needs to give the security cover to him as per the norms. Kindly indicate where the security personnel should report to Shri Arvind Kejriwal," Additional Commissioner of Police V Renganathan had written to Kejriwal.
