AAP’s Atishi Appointed as Delhi’s New Chief Minister, Selected by Arvind Kejriwal
New Delhi: Delhi Minister Atishi is set to become the new Chief Minister following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation from the position, announced after his meeting with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena this afternoon. The decision was finalized during a meeting of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators today.
During the AAP MLAs’ meeting, party leader Dilip Pandey suggested that Mr. Kejriwal should choose the new Chief Minister. When Mr. Kejriwal proposed Ms. Atishi as the candidate, all AAP MLAs supported the decision, leading to her election as the leader of the legislature party.
Ms. Atishi, who currently oversees critical portfolios such as Education and the Public Works Department, is an Oxford University alumna and a Rhodes scholar. She has played a significant role in AAP’s major initiative to reform education within Delhi’s schools.
An MLA from Kalkaji, Atishi, age 43, stepped into a ministerial role after Mr. Sisodia’s arrest in a corruption case tied to Delhi’s now-defunct liquor policy. During the period when both Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Sisodia were detained, Atishi effectively represented the party at various events and in media interactions.
On August 15, Mr. Kejriwal appointed her to raise the tricolor at the Delhi government’s Independence Day ceremony. Although Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena intervened to prevent this, it was clear that the AAP leadership had great trust in Ms. Atishi’s capabilities.
After the announcement, Ms. Atishi addressed the media, expressing her gratitude to her mentor, Mr. Kejriwal. She stated, “Arvind Kejriwal has placed his trust in me and entrusted me with this responsibility. I urge all Delhiites to support your son, your brother Arvind Kejriwal, for Chief Minister once again, as he is a man of integrity.”
Ms. Atishi’s promotion follows Mr. Kejriwal’s unexpected decision to step down from the Chief Minister’s role just two days prior. During a party workers’ gathering on Sunday, Mr. Kejriwal declared, “I will resign as Chief Minister in two days. I will not return to that position until the people have spoken. The Delhi elections are still months away. Having received justice from the legal system, I now seek justice from the people’s court. I will only resume the Chief Minister’s role once the people have given their mandate.”
This announcement came shortly after the Supreme Court granted Mr. Kejriwal bail in a corruption case related to Delhi’s former liquor policy, which led to his imprisonment for six months.
With the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February, Mr. Kejriwal has called for them to be held in November alongside the Maharashtra elections. Both Mr. Kejriwal and his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, have pledged to seek the support of the people and will not return to their official positions before receiving the people’s verdict.
