Atishi Takes Oath As Delhi CM Days After Kejriwal's Resignation

Atishi Swearing-In Ceremony: Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi Singh was sworn in as the new Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday. This comes days after party supremo Arvind Kejriwal stepped down from the top post following his release from the Tihar jail. After assuming charge as the Delhi CM, Atishi became the 17th woman chief minister in the country and the third woman Chief Minister of Delhi, after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.

#WATCH | AAP leader Atishi takes oath as Chief Minister of Delhi pic.twitter.com/R1iomGAaS9

— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2024

The Atishi-led government will have a short tenure, with assembly elections in Delhi scheduled for February next year. Her administration will need to expedite approvals for various pending policies and welfare initiatives, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0, and doorstep delivery of services. In the previous Kejriwal government, Atishi managed 13 portfolios, including finance, revenue, public works, power, and education.

Besides Atishi, five ministers were sworn in the cabinet. AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain and Mukesh Ahlawat also took oath during the ceremony. The swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of former CM Arvind Kejriwal and party leader Manish Sisodia.  

 Days after being released from Tihar jail on bail, the AAP national convenor announced his resignation, calling for early elections in the national capital. He suggested that polls be held in November, along with the elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

“If you believe that I am guilty, then don’t vote for me. Every vote will serve as a testament to my honesty. Only if you vote for me and declare my integrity will I resume my position as Chief Minister. Until then, I will not assume the CM's chair. I want to give 'agnipariksha' after coming out of jail,” he stated.