Delhi to swear in anti-fraud activist Arvind Kejriwal

14 Feb BBC

Tens of thousands are due to gather in Delhi to watch anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal be sworn in as the Indian capital's chief minister.

He invited all of Delhi to join the ceremony, which is being held outside at the Ramlila Maidan rather than at the assembly's offices. Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 67 of 70 seats in the state assembly, trouncing both the mainstream parties.

Congress, historically the biggest party in Delhi, was wiped out.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won a landslide in last year's general election, was reduced to three seats.Mr Kejriwal had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the ceremony but a spokesman for the chief minister-elect said Mr Modi had turned down the invitation.

The Ramlila Maidan is a huge ground in Delhi often used for political rallies.Mr Kejriwal was sworn in as chief minister at the same place in 2013, although he resigned after 49 days after failing to pass an anti-corruption bill.

The AAP was born out of an anti-corruption movement that swept India three years ago.