Baijal takes oath as Delhi's Lt. Governor, Kejriwal welcomes him (Roundup)

Former Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal on Saturday took over as the new Lt. Governor of Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hoping for better relations with him compared to his predecessor Najeeb Jung.

Both Baijal and Kejriwal expressed hope to work in coordination with each other and resolve any issues that may arise by "sitting together".

Soon after taking the oath of office, Baijal told reporters here he will try to resolve problems being faced by Delhi, and will sit together with Kejriwal to resolve the conflict between his office and the elected government.

"I don't know how they (relations with Aam Aadmi Party government) will improve and whether they will improve. We will sit together and find out how to go forward," he said.

Welcoming Baijal, Kejriwal, who attended his oath ceremony, said he hoped for cooperation from the new Lt. Governor to resume "stalled work".

"I welcome him on behalf of the Delhi government and hope to work with him in the coming days for Delhi's development," he said.

"During the last few months, many of Delhi's works were stopped. We hope that in the coming days, we will be able to resume them with the same pace with which they were being carried out earlier," he added referring to Jung's intervention in many of Delhi government's decisions.

Baijal's predecessor Jung was at loggerheads with Kejriwal and his ministers ever since the AAP swept to power in the national capital in February 2015.

In September, Jung set up a committee to review over 400 files related to decisions taken by the Delhi government.

Baijal on Saturday morning was administered the oath of office by Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini at the Lt. Governor's Office here.

Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues, many judges and senior officers of the central and Delhi governments were present at the ceremony.

In his first message to Delhi residents soon after taking charge as Delhi's Lt Governor, Baijal extended his greetings to the people for the New Year.

"On New Year Eve, Lt. Governor Anil Baijal extends his warmest greetings to all the residents of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the citizens of India," a statement said.

Baijal also wished for health, happiness, progress, peace and prosperity for all.

Baijal, a 1969-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, retired from service in 2006.

In his 37-year-long career as a top bureaucrat, Baijal held several posts, including those of the Union Home Secretary, Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Airlines, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Joint Secretary and Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

He succeeds Najeeb Jung, who resigned on December 22.

Jung is a 1973-batch former IAS officer and also Jamia Millia Islamia University ex-Vice Chancellor. He had assumed charge as Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on July 9, 2013.

--IANS

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