2nd LD Writethru: India's anti-graft party chief sworn in as Delhi's Chief Minister, pledges to end corruption

India's anti-graft Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was Saturday sworn in as the new chief minister of Delhi at an open ground in the national capital.

The 46-year-old former civil servant-turned-politician was administered the oath of office, along with six others, by Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung at Ramlila ground, in a ceremony attended by over 50,000 people, amid tight security.

"Both the rich and the poor have voted for us and given us such a mandate to rule Delhi. But, we should not become egoists and arrogant, which had led to the downfall of mainstream political parties," the chief minister said in his first official address, after taking oath.

Taking a pledge to wipe out corruption from Delhi, Kejriwal said "We will make the national capital India's first bribery-free place. We will soon start an anti-graft helpline and take strong action against corrupt officials after catching them red-handed."

Referring to recent attacks in churches in the Indian capital, he warned that such incidents would not be tolerated.

Kejriwal also spoke of ensuring women's safety in the national capital and said that his government would also end VIP culture.

The AAP (meaning Common Man's Party) swept to power in the assembly elections held on Feb. 7, winning 67 out of 70 seats, decimating the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, in what has been seen as a huge setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi, who was invited to the oath-taking ceremony, however, did not attend due to prior engagements in the western state of Maharashtra.

The Indian capital was without a government for nearly a year since Kejriwal had resigned as the chief minister after leading a minority government for 49 days, with outside support from the country's main opposition Congress party, which had ruled Delhi for 15 years.

He had resigned after failing to push an anti-corruption bill to set up an ombudsman which would have power to probe corrupt politicians and government officials. Endi