Kejriwal wins trust vote

Cong says it will support as long as he meets people’s aspirations

The Aam Aadmi won. I did not believe in God but I now do. I believe that truth can never lose. The question before the House is which of its members is standing with the common man in this fight against corruption. - Arvind Kejriwal

• Voice-vote conducted on Confidence Motion
• AAP has 28 members in a House of 70 seats
• Cong with 8 members helps AAP sail through
• Two Independents also side with Kejriwal
• BJP-Akali Dal combine with 32 members opposed govt

New Delhi: With Aam Admi Party (AAP) winning the crucial vote on the Confidence Motion moved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, it is for the first time that a non-Congress and non-BJP Government has come to stay in Delhi.

The Minority AAP Government has survived, as the Confidence Motion was carried by voice-vote. In the 70-member Delhi Assembly, the AAP with 28, the Congress with 8 and 2 Independents account for 38 as against 32 of the BJP-Akali Dal combine.

With the passing of the Confidence Motion, the AAP government need not seek a trust vote for the next six months. Before the vote was taken up, Arvind Kejriwal made an impassioned speech that he was committed to uncovering and punishing corruption.

“No one would be spared,” he said. Kejriwal assured the House that he would use all the resources at his command to fight against corruption at all levels. Within 15-20 days, he said, his Government would try to pass the Delhi Jan Lokayukta Bill. The existing Lokayukta law in Delhi was very weak and the AAP Government wanted a strong anti-graft law, he said. Kejriwal said he wanted power companies also to be audited and wanted people to get water at discounted rates. He said he would have to find a solution to how he can improve the lives of those living in slum-clusters and unauthorised colonies. He also wanted to stop the exploitation of those working on contract.

He assured to improve the lot of traders in Delhi and declared that the AAP opposed FDI in retail.

Tracing the launching of his party, Kejriwal said that two years ago, the ‘Aam’ Indian resolved to clean up the system. Politicians responded by taunting them, skeptical whether they can contest elections, run for elections without huge funds. “This was a big mistake for traditional parties. On December 4, there was a miracle. The Aam Aadmi won. I did not believe in God but I now do. I believe that truth can never lose,” he said.

“The question before the House is which of its members is standing with the common man in this fight against corruption,” he said.

During the debate, Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely assured Kejriwal Government that the Congress would continue to enjoy the support of his party “till you keep taking decisions that benefit the people.” Lovely cautioned Kejriwal that some of the swift decisions that he had taken in the last few days should have been better thought out. The Congress on its own came forward to help the AAP form the government in Delhi.

“We did not want elections again in Delhi. We had the least to lose if there were re-polls. We acted as a responsible political party,” he said. The BJP, led by Dr Harsh Vardhan, attacked Kejriwal for accepting support from the Congress, which he had consistently described as corrupt. Harsh Vardhan censured Aam Admi Ministers for using metro rides to work as a photo-op.