While his Aam Aadmi Party colleagues basked in the glory of an unprecedented mandate, Delhi’s Chief Minister elect Arvind Kejriwal described the victory as “scary”.
“It is scary,” said Mr. Kejriwal as he addressed party volunteers celebrating the victory news of one candidate after the other outside the party office in Patel Nagar.
“Our victory is achieved by the volunteers who devoted themselves to the AAP’s cause round the clock for days. Some had to quit their jobs; there are those who had to keep their shops shut for days to work for the party. This is a victory for all those volunteers, but there is a sense of fear,” said Mr. Kejriwal referring to the faith reposed in him.
He hailed the party’s win as a victory of truth and rephrased the famous Paulo Coelho quote: “And, when you want something, the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”“We do not have money or resources, but like I often I said we have selected the path of truth. When you pursue that course, the entire universe will work to ensure that you attain what you seek,” he said to a resounding applause from his supporters.
Requesting his supporters and leaders to be humble in victory, he cautioned them that they could ill afford to be arrogant.
“Where the Congress and the BJP find themselves today is because of their arrogance. If we are arrogant, this is the same lesson people will teach us five years down the line,” he told his cadres.
Concluding his brief speech, he thanked his family members recalling their sacrifice. Talking about his wife, an Indian Revenue Services officer just like he himself was once, he said: “She stayed away from my campaign and public life because being a government employee there is this sense of fear that the government might take action against her. Today, I brought her along but not before assuring that she would not face the administration’s wrath.”
Mr. Kejriwal said the support of the 20 million people of Delhi was needed for him to fulfil their aspirations and there was little that he could do on his own.
