Kejriwal becomes Delhi CM at public ceremony

History was made Saturday when Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Delhi's seventh chief minister at the Ramlila Maidan, watched by tens of thousands of excited supporters and on live television around the country.

It was the culmination of a momentous campaign for people's rights that was mounted by Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), formed only a year ago and which rode to power in a major electoral upset this month.

Along with Kejirwal were sworn in six of his relatively youthful ministers by Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung amid a crescendo of cheers and claps from his white cap-waving sea of supporters and voters who reposed faith in him and his promises to "change the system".

The 45-year-old Kejriwal's AAP won 28 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly after the Bharatiya Janata Party failed to form a government despite winning 31 seats as it lacked majority in the house.

The AAP has the legislative backing of the eight-member Congress, which was routed after ruling Delhi for 15 long years.