New | True to vow of transparency, India’s anti-graft hero admits bowel trouble
Jokes and sympathy as popular New Delhi chief minister shares why he was not able to work on his first day
India’s anti-corruption activist, Arvind Kejriwal, swept to power last month on a promise of greater transparency and he began office on Monday true to his word – admitting that Delhi belly had spoiled his first day.
New chief minister Kejriwal, whose pledge to fight for India’s common man won over voters in New Delhi state polls, had been set to start governing the capital on Monday after being sworn in at the weekend.
But after weeks of rallies in a gruelling election campaign that pitted him against the two main political parties, Kejriwal said he had fallen ill with diarrhoea and a severe fever and could not come into the office.
“Running 102 fever since yesterday. Severe loose motions. Sad that I won’t be able to attend office today,” the former tax official said on his verified Twitter account.
When the chief minister gives you a minute by minute update on his bowel movements … hail democracy
“It was so imp[ortant] to attend office today. We had planned the water announcement. God, [you’ve had me sick at a very wrong time].”
Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi party was born out of an anti-corruption mass movement two years ago, has pledged to give free water to households in New Delhi and slash their electricity bills.