New year brings new hope to Delhi

Anil Baijal, former Union Home secretary took oath on Saturday and took over as the new Lieutenant General of Delhi. The former Lt. Gen Najeeb Jung had stepped down earlier this month, citing personal reasons.

Who is Anil Baijal?

A 1969 IAS officer, he was a former Union Home secretary in the Vajpayee regime. He was a part of the Manmohan Singh government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Baijal was also on the executive council of the think-tank Vivekananda International Foundation whose former members have been appointed to senior positions by the Modi government including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He is 70.

Jung was a thorn in the flesh of the AAP

Jung was a thorn in the flesh of the AAP government in Delhi which inspite of coming to power by an overwhelming majority after defeating the BJP in elections was shackled in numerous ways by the hindrances placed in its path of governance by Jung. Kejriwal and Jung have been at loggerheads with each other and the last months have been a series of blocked moves by Jung.

Expressing new hope, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said “In the last few months, some works of Delhi government have come to standstill. I hope that these works will be expedited. I am very hopeful that in the future, we all — MLAs, Delhi government, people of Delhi — will work with the Lt Governor for development of Delhi.”

Time only can tell how things will turn out.