Describing the menace of corruption as a very big issue for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Delhi chief minister designate Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that his minority government, which is being given outside support by the Congress, is determined to introduce and pass a Jan Lokpal Bill in the next 15 days.
Responding to reports in the media that it would be impossible for the AAP to pass a Jan Lokpal Bill within the next 15 days because rules of government do not permit, Kejriwal told media outide his residence here, "As per the Constitution, the Delhi State Assembly has the right to pass all laws, except those in the State List that may come in conflict with Central laws."
"As I understand, in 2002, the Transaction of Business Rules were amended to read that all state governments would have to take the permission of the Central Government to pass any law. This , we feel, is wrong. This is something related to the time when the British were in power in India. Then, all administrative decisions related to India, had to be sent to London for approval. We are an independent country now, and we do not have to follow this," Kejriwal added.
Kejriwal's remarks even as the AAP announced that it would order probes against corrupt Congress leaders and politicians.
Earlier reports said Kejriwal will take oath as the seventh chief minister of Delhi on December 28.
Television reports also said Kejriwal and his six-member cabinet would be sworn-in on Saturday.
There is no news as yet as to where exactly the swearing-in ceremony will take place, though the AAP leadership has said that it would like to hold in in the Ram Lila Ground on the outskirts of the Old City of Delhi.
Reports also said that invitations for the swearing-in ceremony will be sent to civil rights activists Anna Hazare and Kiran Bedi and former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav on Wednesday denied any rift within party and stressed that party MLA Vinod Kumar Binny is not greedy of any post, and added that the MLA from Laxmi Nagar has stood by the party when there was no one by our side.
"Unfortunate that such an image about him (Vinod Kumar Binny) was formed that he is greedy for any post," Yadav told media here.
Earlier, Binny, who is reportedly miffed about his name being dropped from the list of probable cabinet ministers, , denied any rift within the party.
"I am not upset with the party. There is no rift within the party," Binny told media here.
"I gave a statement yesterday that whatever media wants to ask, they can ask in our press conference tomorrow. This statement has been represented in other way. There is no rift," he said.
"I left early because I had to go for a reception. There are many other responsibilities. They might have chosen me for some other responsibility. I don't want to be a minister," he added.
Earlier, reports suggested that Binny was upset over the party's decision not to include him in the state cabinet.
Kejriwal on Tuesday held consultations on government formation and the party named its ministers.
The AAP sent the names of six ministers - Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Somnath Bharti, Rakhi Birla, Satyendra Jain and Girish Soni to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.
The AAP staked claim to form the government in Delhi after the BJP decided not to form the government.
The AAP had bagged 28 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly. The BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 31 seats while the Congress had stood a poor third with eight seats.
