Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi is set to take the oath of office today, becoming the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi. The ceremony will take place at Raj Niwas at 4:30 PM, where she will also oversee the oath-taking of her new council of ministers.
Atishi, who represents the Kalkaji constituency, was unanimously chosen for the Chief Minister role during a party meeting of AAP MLAs on September 17. She replaces Arvind Kejriwal, who recently resigned after securing bail in an alleged liquor policy scam. Following this, President Droupadi Murmu approved Atishi’s appointment as Chief Minister and accepted Kejriwal’s resignation.
The new cabinet will include familiar faces from the previous government: Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain. The new addition, Mukesh Ahlawat, a first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra, brings fresh energy to the team. These ministers will take charge of various portfolios, continuing work on key initiatives.
Atishi previously held 13 portfolios in Kejriwal’s cabinet, including finance, revenue, public works, power, and education. With assembly elections scheduled for February next year, the new government’s tenure will be brief. However, it will aim to fast-track pending policies and welfare schemes, such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.
The AAP has called an assembly session on September 26-27, where Atishi’s government will seek to prove its majority. Despite the challenges following Kejriwal’s resignation, the party aims to maintain stability and address pressing issues affecting Delhi residents. The mood within the party is reportedly subdued due to the recent changes, but Atishi’s leadership marks a significant moment for the AAP and Delhi politics.