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AAP govt to pursue corruption charges against Sheila Dikshit, Mukesh Ambani

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File Photo

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New Delhi: Delhi’s AAP government to be sworn in today will pursue allegations of corruption against ex-Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and industrialist Mukesh Ambani and others, Deputy Chief Minister-designate Manish Sisodia said today.

All the cases that were registered last year during Kejriwal government’s 49-day stint “will be pursued”, he told PTI in an exclusive interview here.

Sisodia, who had been asked whether the FIRs lodged by the AAP government last year against Mukesh Ambani, the then Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily as also allegations against Dikshit would be pursued, responded “yes, definitely”.

The then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had ordered filing of an FIR on February 11 last year against Moily, his predecessor Murli Deora, who is dead now, and RIL Chief Mukesh Ambani for alleged collusion in hike of prices in natural gas from the KG basin.

The then AAP government had also ordered a probe into street light purchase scam during the Commonwealth Games of 2010 in which Dikshit’s role had come under the scanner.

Sisodia said the AAP government will “revive” the cases that have been put in cold storage and take them to a “logical conclusion”. On its key poll promise of slashing power tariff by 50 per cent, Sisodia said it would be done “as soon as possible”.

Alleging wide-spread corruption in the power sector, Sisodia said the new government would force the power distribution companies to give all their financial details to the CAG that is probing their accounts.

The CAG audit into the finances of the private power distribution companies was ordered by the Kejriwal government last year.

In its manifesto, AAP had promised to cut power tariff by 50 per cent immediately after coming to power and said the rates will be revised based on the findings of the CAG audit.

“CAG audit into the discoms is already going on. We will force them to give all the details to the CAG,” Sisodia said.

Sisodia said the AAP government will also soon announce 20 kilolitres (20,000 litres) of free water to every household per month as per its promise. The previous AAP government had introduced the free water scheme but it was discontinued after it quit.

“We will bring back the free water scheme which was discontinued after we quit the government as water is basic right,” he said.

Asked how the new AAP government will tackle the ‘VIP culture’ of ‘lal battis’, he said “all the Ministers will ride ordinary cars”.

“Not even the Chief Minister will use red-beacon or hooters on his official car. The AAP government will be a government of simplicity. The Ministers may avail government accomodation but not huge bungalows. They will take normal salary and will not travel with huge security contingents,” he said.

On the statehood issue, Sisodia said the AAP government will soon approach the Centre with a “concrete proposal” in this regard and noted that both Congress and BJP had promised to grant Delhi full-statehood.

Insisting that police must be brought under the Delhi government, he said said the Centre can continue to handle security for Lutyens’ Delhi.

“Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone can continue to stay under the Centre. But is it possible for the Prime Minister or Home Minister to take care of law and order in places like East Delhi. Police must come under the Delhi government,” Sisodia said.

Asked whether the issue was raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he and Kejriwal met him yesterday, Sisodia said it was not a meeting to discuss the issue threadbare.

“I am sure we will soon have concrete discussion on it. Yesterday, we briefly discussed and the Prime Minister said ‘let us see what can be done’,” he said.

The BJP in its manifesto for 2013 assembly polls had promised full statehood for Delhi. The party had come out with a vision document for the February 7 assembly polls which did not find any mention of the statehood issue.

In its manifesto, AAP had promised to push for full statehood for Delhi if it came to power.

Sisodia said the AAP government would want a “constructive relationship” with the Centre.

“We will expect constructive relationship with them. We welcome competitive politics for the development of Delhi,” he said.

Asked about criticism against Kejriwal by Shanti Bhushan, he said “being critical is not a big thing and individuals are not important”.

On whether AAP will contest the Bihar assembly polls, he said the party’s Political Affairs Committee will take a call on the issue.

(PTI)

Modi won't be able to attend Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony

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AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 RCR. Photo: PMO Twitter account

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 RCR. Photo: PMO Twitter account

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to attend Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi chief minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal’s oath taking ceremony on Saturday, party leader Manish Sisodia said on Thursday after a meeting with the PM.

The meeting which took place at the Prime Minister’s 7 Race Course Road residence lasted half an hour and was described as cordial.

“Unfortunately PM Modi will not be able to attend Arvind ji’s oath taking ceremony,” Sisodia, who accompanied Kejriwal, told reporters after the meeting with Modi.

Kejriwal extended an invitation to Modi for the ceremony but the PM is scheduled to travel to Maharashtra to inaugurate the new Krishi Vigyan Kendra building in Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar’s stronghold of Baramati on Saturday.

“We had a good talk with the PM and told him there is a full majority government at the Centre and in Delhi and this is a golden opportunity. It is an opportune time to grant full statehood to Delhi,” said Sisodia.

He said the PM assured them that the Centre will think on the issue of giving full statehood to Delhi.

Kejriwal’s meeting with the PM comes a day after he met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and urban affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu and sought full statehood for Delhi.

Speaking to home minister Singh, Kejriwal also underlined the need for “constructive cooperation” between the central and the Delhi governments and noted that political differences should not come in the way of taking the city forward.

Kejriwal will also invite his one-time colleague and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, who was the BJP’s CM candidate in the Delhi polls. Bedi too had congratulated Kejriwal asking him to make Delhi a world-class city.

The AAP won 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi House on Tuesday, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed a distant second place with merely three seats. The Congress, reeling from a string of defeats since it was routed in the Lok Sabha polls, did not even open its account.

In the run-up to the Delhi polls, the battle for the city-state saw a fierce war of words between the PM, and Kejriwal, who lost to Modi in Varanasi in the April-May general elections.

But, Modi congratulated Kejriwal after the AAP’s poll triumph and promised him Centre’s co-operation in the development of Delhi.

(Agencies)

Manish Sisodia to be Deputy CM of Delhi

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AAP leader Manish Sisodia. Photo: IE

AAP leader Manish Sisodia. Photo: IE

New Delhi: Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, a close confidant of party chief Arvind Kejriwal, is all set to be the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi.

The decision to make Sisodia the Deputy CM was taken at a meeting of AAP’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) last night at Kejriwal’s residence in Kaushambhi, party sources said.

Sisodia is being given the responsibility so that Chief Minister-designate Kejriwal can focus on building the party at the national level, they said.

Sisodia is credited with strengthening AAP at the grassroot level after it lost all the seven parliamentary constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections last year.

He was minister of Education, PWD, Urban Development and Local Bodies in the 49-day AAP government that had resigned on February 14 last year on the Lokpal issue.

Kejriwal, Sisodia and other cabinet ministers will take oath of office at Ramlila ground on Saturday.

Sisodia had won from Patparganj constituency defeating BJP’s Vinod Kumar Binny who was expelled from the party last year.

He had worked as a journalist with Zee News and All India Radio for a long time. He later quit journalism to participate in the agitation for Right To Information.

He was one of the founding members of the Janlokpal agitation and part of the team which chalked out its first draft. When Anna Hazare was arrested and sent to jail during the agitation, he too was sent to prison.

(PTI)

Kiran Bedi blames 'fatwa' for her defeat in Krishna Nagar

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File Photo.

File Photo.

New Delhi: Kiran Bedi today appeared to blame a “fatwa” by Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari, appealing Muslims to support AAP, for her defeat in BJP’s traditional stronghold of Krishna Nagar in East Delhi and sought a probe into it by the Election Commission.

She said the Election Commission should inquire the issue to know whether the Shahi Imam’s appeal to Muslims a day before the polls had any impact on the electoral outcome.

“I want the Election Commission to inquire this. (Then only) it will be clearly known whether fatwa had an impact on the voters or not,” she said.

Bedi claimed that though she was leading in the vote count, her vote share started dropping when counting of votes in a Muslim-dominated area of her constituency was taken up.

“I was told that during the vote count in Krishna Nagar, I was leading but when the counting of votes of the area, where fatwa might have an impact, was carried out, it started to drop,” Bedi said, adding “I lost by 2000 votes when the counting reached that area.”

A day ahead of the polls on February 7, Bukhari appealed to Muslims to vote for AAP but the party promptly rejected the offer.

Though it was an appeal by Bukhari, several BJP leaders called it “fatwa”.
Bedi said a “complete study” should be done whether there was an impact of the “fatwa” on the freedom of choice in voting.

“Fatwa means a diktat, a directive, it also means a hukumnama in a way. EC should examine whether fatwas issued last minute before the elections are good for democratic process or not,” added Bedi.

AAP’s S K Bagga defeated Bedi by a margin of 2,277 votes in Krishna Nagar which had stood by BJP even during the 15 years of Congress rule under Sheila Dikshit.

(PTI)

Spurred by Delhi success, AAP eyes Bengaluru civic polls

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Photo: TCN

Photo: TCN

Bengaluru: After its overwhelming victory in Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party is eyeing to make its mark in the country’s IT capital through city civic polls.

“Yes we are preparing for BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) elections. We will be contesting all the seats,” AAP’s senior functionary V Balakrishnan told PTI.

He said “planning is already on. Through ‘Bombat Bangalore’ similar to ‘Delhi Dialogue’ that we had in Delhi we will be interacting with people in all the wards. Based on the interactions we will be preparing agenda for each of the wards.”

There is uncertainty about BBMP elections that is slated for April as the government is mulling about bifurcation of the civic body.

Stating that there is a string of similarity between Bengaluru and Delhi, Balakrishnan said “whether it is bad governance, garbage issues, power problem, water and road related issues, the issues are similar. So I think there will be greater acceptance for AAP as an alternative in Bangalore.”

Halting the Modi juggernaut, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had yesterday scored a landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly election by winning 67 of the 70 seats after steamrolling BJP leaving it with only three seats and decimating Congress which drew a blank.

Balakrishnan, former CFO of IT major Infosys, was also coordinator of a group called “Well wishers of AAP” that had organised Rs 20,000-per person fund-raising dinner with Kejriwal in the city before Lok Sabha polls.

AAP that made its political debut in Karnataka aiming big has performed very dismally with its vote count in the state lesser than NOTA and votes secured here lesser than its membership base in the city.

Among different states, Karnataka had raised the maximum funds for the party during the Lok Sabha polls and the state stood third in the funds collected for the last Delhi polls.

Kejriwal was in the city for a fund raising event on January 11 as part of the preparations for the recent Delhi polls.

Balakrishnan also said that the city should have a CEO like full-term Mayor for the city.

“I think what Bengaluru needs is a directly elected Mayor, right now the the Mayors’ tenure is just one year. This has led to a situation where a single person won’t have control over the affairs of BBMP as it keeps on changing,” he said.

“Five years tenure for a Mayor is the way to go and he should function as a CEO of the city,” he added.

(PTI)

Kejriwal discusses Delhi's statehood with Rajnath; AAP receives IT notice

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Delhi CM designate Arvind Kejriwal meets Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Delhi CM designate Arvind Kejriwal meets Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Photo: ANI

New Delhi: A day after registering a landslide victory in the Delhi assembly election, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday discussed the issue of full statehood for Delhi with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Kejriwal, accompanied by party leader Manish Sisodia, had about an half-hour meeting with the home minister at the latter’s official residence.

“We have discussed various issues with the home minister, including the issue of full statehood for Delhi,” Sisodia told reporters.

He also said that the union minister assured them of the central government’s full support, saying that “the party line would not come in between working of the two governments”.

Earlier in the day, the AAP leaders called on union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu at his office and discussed various issues concerning the national capital.

During this meeting, the issues related to granting of full statehood to Delhi and granting land by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for building schools, parking and play grounds were discussed.

The AAP leaders also spoke about regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the city.

Kejriwal, to be sworn in as chief minister Saturday at the Ramlila Ground for the second time, is scheduled to meet President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan later Wednesday.

Aam Aadmi Party, Congress served IT notice over funding

The Income Tax Department has served a notice on Aam Aadmi Party seeking an explanation on charges of receiving funds from dubious sources as alleged by a splinter group — a charge that had already been denied by the party.

A similar notice has also been served on the Congress, a party spokesperson said.

The department, that functions under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) of the ministry of finance, has asked the party to furnish its reply by Feb 16 — two days after Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to take oath as Delhi chief minister following a stunning win in the assembly polls.

In the run-up to the elections, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had alleged that the AAP was caught red-handed in receiving dubious funds from companies that did not have any business, and accused its leadership of adopting diversionary tactics to deflect attention.

He said such donations amounted to Rs.2 crore through cheques of Rs.50 lakh each from four firms.

The Aam Aadmi Party had protested such allegations. “Mr. Finance Minister. Stop throwing muck. Act. Arrest me if i am guilty,” Kejriwal tweeted. “Fin min (finance minister) says we took hawala money. Hawala money in cheques? I dare Fin min to arrest me if we took hawala money.”

He had also written to Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu and urged him to set up a special probe team to probe investigate not just his party, but also the BJP and the Congress for the Delhi elections.

The Congress party said it has also received a similar missive from the IT Department.

“Yes, we have been served a notice. It is clearly a sign of political vendetta. Let me ask: Why has a similar notice not been served on BJP? Why single us and the AAP out. BJP has also spent crores of rupees on elections,” a party spokesperson told IANS.

At a press conference here last week, the AAP Volunteer Action Manch (AVAM), a breakaway group of the party, had questioned the sources of funding for the Kejriwal-led party and alleged some of it could be sourced to what it described as “fraud” companies.

It said claimed the money donated on the midnight of April 15 last year.

(IANS)

Four Muslim faces in newly-elected Delhi Assembly

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Amanatullah_Ishraq-Khan_Imran-Hussain_Asim-Ahmed-

New Delhi: Four Muslim faces were among the 67 AAP candidates who came out victorious in the Delhi Assembly polls.

Amanatullah Khan won from the Muslim-dominated Okhla constituency, defeating BJP’s Braham Singh by a record 64,532 votes.

Haji Ishraque popularly known as ‘Bhure Bhai’ emerged victorious from the Seelampur constituency in North East Delhi. He defeated BJP’s Sanjay Jain by a margin of 27,887 votes.

In the 2013 polls too, AAP had fielded a Muslim candidate from the constituency but managed fourth position only.

Matia Mahal assembly constituency saw AAP candidate Asim Ahmed Khan defeating Congress’ Shoaib Iqbal, who represented the seat consecutively five times. Khan defeated Iqbal by 26,096 votes.

Iqbal, who was earlier with JD (U), had joined Congress just ahead of the elections.

In Ballimaran, AAP candidate Imran Hussain emerged victorious with 57,118 votes. He defeated BJP’s Shayam Lal Morwal by 33,877 votes. Senior Congress leader Haroon Yusuf ended up being in the third position.

The AAP had given ticket to five Muslims in the Assembly polls, down from six in 2013.

Mustafabad is one of the three seats bagged by BJP. While Jagdish Pradhan, a non-Muslim face won the seat with 58388 votes, Congress’ Hasan Ahmed and AAP’s Mohd Yunus came second and third respectively.

Of the 673 candidates in fray for the 70-member assembly, 68 were Muslims – down from 108 in 2013 Assembly polls when the total number of contestants was 810.

(PTI)

AAP win shattered myth of Modi's invincibility: Yogendra Yadav

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AAP supporters holding posters of Arvind Kejriwal after party's victory in Delhi Assembly polls on 10 Feb 2015.

AAP supporters holding posters of Arvind Kejriwal after party’s victory in Delhi Assembly polls on 10 Feb 2015.

New Delhi: AAP ideologue Yogendra Yadav said the party’s landslide win has shattered the “myth of invincibility” around Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opened up “political possibilities”.

Speaking to NDTV news channel after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 67 of the 70 seats, Yadav said Modi had turned the Delhi assembly election into a “referendum (on his government) and said the whole world is watching”.

“He launched a personal attack on Arvind Kejriwal and now he cannot simply walk away and say it is a minor election,” he said.

“Can’t say if his (Modi’s) popularity has waned, but the myth of invincibility has suddenly been shattered. The idea of a juggernaut that would roll on and on and on has been halted, temporarily, and opened up political possibilities,” he said.

By political possibilities, Yadav said, “the complete sense of invincibility (around Modi) has been removed. Now I suspect that BJP leaders would be able to say a few things to the BJP, and the kind of pressure on the media would be relaxed a bit”.

“I always believe that the way to take on Modi is not to take on the old tried and tested political formula,” he added.

Asked about the AAP government having virtually no opposition in the assembly, he acknowledged that there was the “danger of hubris” (excessive pride or self-confidence).

He said the massive mandate has placed a “serious responsibility on the party. The people of Delhi have thrust a double responsibility on us. It is more than what we had dreamt. The people will expect more of us – to deliver on promises”.

Stating that the huge mandate was “scary”, he said it would give the AAP government the “responsibility of listening to voices of dissent, especially of the 32 percent who voted for the BJP and the others, and the responsibility of proving to be the carrier of an alternative politics”.

(IANS)

Delhi loss ‘defeat’ for Modi, says Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray

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Shiv Sena-BJP

Mumbai: With BJP left badly bruised in the Delhi Assembly poll, ally Shiv Sena today added to its woes saying the outcome amounted to “defeat” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and showed that tsunami is mightier than the “Modi wave”.

“It would not be wrong to call the results a defeat for Narendra Modi. Talks had been going on about a Modi wave sweeping the country. But the people of Delhi have shown that tsunami is mightier than a wave,” Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, taking a swipe at BJP over the poll debacle.

The Sena leader, who called up AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal to congratulate him on the victory, said he would attend the oath-taking ceremony if invited.

“I spoke to (Arvind) Kejriwal today and congratulated him on this victory. I also advised him to continue to work for Delhi and not commit the mistake of resigning from the CM’s post again,” he said.

Though Shiv Sena is part of the NDA government at the Centre and BJP-led dispensation in Maharashtra, the relations between the two parties have been far from smooth since the two parted ways just ahead of the state Assembly elections last year.

Uddhav said the Sena will continue to be in the government but at the same time ensure that the benefits of government schemes reached the people.

“When we were in the Opposition, we had a responsibility towards the people of this state. After coming to power, this responsibility has only increased. It is our duty to live up to the expectations of the people. Thus, I and the Shiv Sena will ensure that schemes that are meant to benefit people, actually benefit them,” Thackeray said.

“The people of the country are the final authority. Nobody can take them lightly. The final outcome will depend on what the people of this nation want,” he said.

Despite joining the Devendra Fadnavis government weeks after it was formed after tough negotiations over ministerial berths, Sena has been critical of its handling of agrarian problems in the state and a spate of suicide by farmers.

(PTI)

"We killed Mahatma Gandhi; will kill Arvind Kejriwal too": Hindu Mahasabha leader

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swami-omji

New Delhi: A video has appeared online in which a Hindu Mahasabha leader one Swami Omji has threatened to shoot Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal.

“We killed Mahatma Gandhi… we will shoot down Kejriwal too,” said Swami Omji, a leader of Hindu Mahasabha and strong supporter of Narendra Modi.

Omji, who contested as an Independent candidate in the Delhi assembly elections from Palika Bazaar constituency, had openly supported BJP candidate and claimed that his intention behind contesting the election was to divide AAP and Congress votes.

Speaking to media persons before the announcement of poll results the fanatic leader with ith the attire of a ‘Sadhu’ said: “I am from Hindu Mahasabha but BJP is my party. I am also global president of Om Saiji Party. Since Asaram and Narayan Sai are in jail, the responsibility fell on my shoulders.”

Calling Kejriwal, an anti-national and traitor, the Hinduva leader also claimed that he had once barged into the house of Kejriwal and thrashed him. “…On 21st January 2014, I entered Kejriwal’s house and thrashed him.”

He went on to claim that Hindu Mahasabha had killed Mahatma Gandhi. “…Nathuram Godse was our man. We killed Mahatma Gandhi… Will kill Kejriwal too,” he said.

When a shocked reporter questioned him what did he say, Swami Omji replied: “In the future, we will try to convince anti-nationals like Kejriwal. If he doesn’t listen, we will shoot him and kill him.”

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