Delhi gets its 3rd woman CM as Arvind Kejriwal hands charge to Atishi

NEW DELHI: The frontrunner was the chosen one. In an expected turn of events, the AAP legislative party on Tuesday elected finance and education minister Atishi, 43, as its leader, paving the way for her to become the eighth chief minister of Delhi.

Outgoing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal later met lieutenant governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas along with his council of ministers - Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain - to submit his resignation.

Chief minister -designate Atishi then submitted a letter to stake her claim to form govt. She will remain at the helm for a maximum of five months in this term if the assembly polls are held as per schedule in Feb 2025.

"Now, Atishi steps up to lead Delhi till the upcoming elections, carrying the weight of both CM Arvind Kejriwal's vision and the national capital's future," said AAP in a statement.

AAP functionaries said an assembly session will be convened on Sept 26 and 27, and the new govt under Atishi will prove its majority. This is a mere formality, considering AAP's brute majority of 59 legislators in a 70-member House. Three MLAs have resigned from AAP in the past five months.

Leaving Raj Niwas, Atishi told reporters: "Had it been any other CM, he would have immediately sat on the CM's chair after coming out of jail. No one in the world would have taken a decision like Kejriwal ji (to step down)."

"This is an emotional moment for the party and the people of Delhi. At the same time, the people of Delhi have resolved to make Arvind Kejriwal chief minister again. Till elections are held, I will be looking after Delhi," she added.

Atishi will be the second youngest to become the CM after Chaudhary Brahm Prakash (1952-55) who was just shy of 34 when he was sworn in as CM. She will also be the third woman chief minister of the capital.

Her name was proposed by Kejriwal at the meeting of the legislative party, which was held at his camp office at Flag Staff Road. It was unanimously accepted by all legislators.

Development, Welfare Atishi's Priorities
Kejriwal had on Monday held one-on-one meetings with members of AAP's political affairs committee, including all ministers, to seek their view on prospective successors.

Kejriwal had announced his decision to step down on Sunday, in less than 48 hours of his release from Tihar Jail after getting bail in the excise policy case. He had told party workers that he would sit in the CM's chair only after obtaining a "certificate of honesty" from the electorate in the upcoming polls. He had ruled out deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who was also in jail for over 17 months in the same case, taking over from him. Kejriwal had also urged Election Commission of India to hold elections in Delhi in Nov.

A first-time MLA from Kalkaji, Atishi forayed into electoral politics in 2019 when she unsuccessfully contested against BJP's Gautam Gambhir. In 2020, she contested the assembly polls from Kalkaji and won. She was inducted into the cabinet only after Sisodia and former health minister Saytendar Jain resigned due to their incarceration in separate cases.

She was initially given six departments which later ballooned to 13. While Kejriwal, even during his first stint of 49 days and 2015 onwards, never kept any portfolio with himself, Atishi is likely to hold on to some departments.

Officials said the LG will forward Kejriwal's resignation and Atishi's claim for forming govt to the President and to the Union ministry of home affairs. Once the approvals are received, Raj Niwas will invite her to take the oath of office.

Speaking to reporters, AAP's Delhi convenor Gopal Rai had earlier announced that Atishi had been nominated leader of the legislative party. "At the meeting, it was unanimously decided that till the next elections, which we want to be held in Oct-Nov, when people make Arvind Kejriwal Delhi CM again with a thumping majority, Atishi will carry out the responsibilities as the new CM," Rai said.

He added that during her stint as CM, Atishi will have two important responsibilities. "She will ensure that the development work in Delhi is not stopped despite BJP's opposition and also that all welfare schemes of AAP govt, such as free electricity, water and pilgrimage for senior citizens, continue," Rai added.

Party functionaries were stressing throughout the day that Atishi as CM was an interim arrangement and that after the polls (if AAP wins), Kejriwal will take charge.

Kejriwal did not speak to the media or issue any statement after her resignation. Reposting Sisodia's post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "All the best to Atishi" in Hindi.

In his post on X, Sisodia said PM Narendra Modi had hatched a dirty political conspiracy and made false allegations against Kejriwal and other AAP functionaries, questioned their integrity, sent them to jail and tried to topple the govt.

"Arvind Kejriwal has courageously resigned from the post of CM and announced he will go to the court of people. Today, Atishi has been given the responsibility of the CM of Delhi till the elections," Sisodia said on X.