Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was sworn in on Saturday as the new Chief Minister of Delhi, following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation after securing bail in the Delhi liquor policy case. Atishi, the youngest leader to hold the position, becomes Delhi’s third woman Chief Minister, following Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.
Before taking the oath, Atishi, along with key members of her cabinet, met with Arvind Kejriwal. The new cabinet includes Mukesh Ahlawat, a first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra, alongside Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, all of whom also took the oath as ministers.
दिल्ली में नई सरकार गठन का शपथ ग्रहण कार्यक्रम। LIVE https://t.co/wsY3l5BTQ0
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) September 21, 2024
A Low-Key Oath Ceremony
Unlike previous celebrations, the oath ceremony was a subdued affair due to the somber mood following Kejriwal’s resignation. Despite the situation, Atishi’s ascension to the role of Chief Minister marks a significant moment in Delhi’s political landscape.
Atishi, who was previously responsible for multiple key portfolios in Kejriwal’s government, will now have to prove her majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly in a special session scheduled for September 26-27. With the spotlight on her leadership, she faces the challenge of maintaining AAP’s momentum amid ongoing controversies surrounding the party.
Addressing the ceremony after taking oath, Atishi said, “Although i have taken oath as the Delhi CM, this is very emotional for us because Arvind Kejriwal is no longer the Chief Minister.”
She added, “He is the person who transformed Delhi, the ones who changed the future of the students studying in government school; he is the person who helped women be more independent by providing them with free bus tickets, the one who transformed government healthcare.”
