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Atishi set to be next Delhi chief minister after Kejriwal proposes her name
People aware of the mater said AAP lawmakers stood up and endorsed her name after Kejriwal backed Atishi to succeed her as the next chief minister
Delhi minister Atishi, 43, is set to be the next chief minister after Aam Aadmi (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal proposed her name at a meeting of the party’s legislative wing. People aware of the mater said AAP lawmakers stood up and endorsed her name after Kejriwal backed her as his successor.
The lawmakers earlier authorised Kejriwal to pick the new chief minister. They gathered at Kejriwal’s residence at 11:30am on Tuesday to pick the successor before he submits his resignation around 4:30pm to pave the way for the new leader to stake the claim to form the next government.
Atishi held the highest number of portfolios, including key ones of education, public works department, power, revenue, planning, finance, services, vigilance, water, public relations, in Kejriwal’s cabinet.
Kejriwal in August wrote to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena recommending that Atishi be allowed to hoist the Tricolour at the Independence Day celebrations in his absence. The recommendation underlined Atishi’s significance in the Cabinet even as the LG nominated home minister Kailash Gahlot to unfurl the flag.
In 2020, Atishi was elected a lawmaker for the first time from the Kalkaji constituency. She was appointed a minister in March 2023 after the then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in the excise policy case. Atishi comes from the Punjabi community, which is considered an influential voting bloc in the Capital.
Minister Gopal Rai said Atishi has been given the responsibility until the assembly elections. “It was given in a difficult situation. Everyone knows that the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] indulged in a conspiracy to crush the AAP...the AAP maintained the stability of governance, the work of the people, and the unity of the party.”
He said the BJP tried to force Kejriwal to resign but he ran government from jail. “The BJP tried to tarnish the image of honesty of Kejriwal. That is why he decided that unless the people give him the mandate again he will not be the chief minister. We want early elections should be held in November. Until people elect Kejriwal with a huge mandate again, Atishi will be the chief minister,” said Rai.
He added that Atishi will stake claim to form the new government on Tuesday evening when Kejriwal submits his resignation.
An official said with Kejriwal’s resignation, the Delhi cabinet will be dissolved and a new government will have to be formed.
Ahead of Atishi’s nomination, Kejriwal on Monday spoke to members of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), AAP’s highest decision-making body, at his residence on Monday about his successor a day after he announced his resignation.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said Kejriwal held one-on-one discussions with each leader and sought feedback on his replacement. Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, and Kailash Gahlot and the party’s Dalit leaders Rakhi Birla and Kuldeep Kumar were also seen among the contenders for the post. Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, was speculated to be also among those who may succeed him.
Kejriwal on Sunday announced his resignation two days after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the excise policy case. He said he was willing to face the trial by fire to prove his innocence in the people’s court. He added he would return only if he won the people’s mandate in the Delhi assembly polls due early next year.
In 2014, Kejriwal resigned after 49 days in office in a coalition government with the Congress. He returned to the post after a stunning victory with AAP sweeping the 2015 polls winning 67 of the 70 assembly seats. AAP now has 60 lawmakers in the 70-member assembly.
