New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has accused the Centre of protecting former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by appointing her Kerala Governor.
"Investigations are on and now that Sheila Dikshit is governor, she will get immunity. So this is nothing but protecting her," said AAP leader Manish Sisodia, a close aide of Mr Kejriwal.
Appointing Sheila Dikshit as Kerala governor was one of the last decisions of the Congress-led government a day before the announcement of dates for the national election. The model code of conduct that comes into effect immediately bans any major policy announcement.
Ms Dikshit, who lost power in Delhi in December after three terms, faces allegations in connection with the alleged misuse of funds meant for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and irregularities in college recruitment.
During the Delhi Assembly elections in December last, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal defeated Ms Dikshit from the New Delhi seat.
Arvind Kejriwal, who succeeded Sheila Dikshit and has since resigned after failing to enact his Jan Lokpal bill, won by more than 22,000 votes. The Congress managed just eight seats in a house of 70.
Mrs Dikshit served as Chief Minister from 1998 to 2013 in Delhi. She had also represented Kannauj Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh during the period between 1984 and 1989.
A Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said that 75-year-old Dikshit succeeds Nikhil Kumar, a former Delhi Police Commissioner, who resigned yesterday.
The resignation of 72-year-old Kumar, who took over as Governor of Kerala in March last year, has been accepted.
Mr Kumar was earlier Governor of Nagaland from October 2009.