Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s unconventional style has sent the expectations of the national capital soaring, as aggrieved people from different walks of life flocked to his house in neighbouring Ghaziabad even on a Sunday.
As contract workers of Delhi Transport Corporation, ad hoc teachers, and even aggrieved housewives travelled out of Delhi to meet Kejriwal seeking his intervention to address their grievances, the day-old Chief Minister had to assure the people saying that he would need 7-10 days to put a system in place, before he could start accepting their complaints and start delivering.
Such has been the expectation with Kejriwal that people are looking up to him to solve the capital’s intricate problems with a stroke of the pen. Kejriwal, who took oath on Saturday and had a hectic day, could not spend a quiet day with his family on Sunday, as crowds surged outside his modest flat at Kaushambhi in Ghaziabad.
“I don’t want to give you false assurances. I will take the application when we put a system in place to resolve the problems. We have just assumed power. It will take us sometime, seven to ten days to put a system in place to resolve your problems,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal, who rode a popular wave against corruption and price rise, had promised to change the capital. Even during his oath-taking ceremony the 45-year-old activist-turned-politician said if given the reigns of the country he would turn it into sone ki chidiya (golden sparrow).
Predictably, people are looking for a quick fix after his promise to reduce the power bills and give 700 litres of water free.
Among the motley crowd outside his houses were over 1,000 drivers and conductors hired to drive Delhi’s buses. They demanded regular jobs as they have been working with the DTC for over a decade. Others included artist groups dressed as mythological characters.