Delhi Chief Minister-designate Atishi Marlena and her cabinet are set to take the oath of office on September 21, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced on Thursday.
Initially, only Atishi was to be sworn in, but it has since been decided that her entire council of ministers will take the oath alongside her. Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the Delhi Chief Minister position on Tuesday, prompting Atishi to claim the mandate to form a new government.
Four ministers from Kejriwal’s government—Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kailash Gahlot, Gopal Rai, and Imran Hussain—are expected to retain their positions in Atishi’s cabinet. Additionally, Dalit leader Mukesh Ahlawat, MLA from Sultan Pur Majra, may also be appointed as a minister, leaving one ministerial post open.
In a statement, the AAP confirmed that Atishi will assume office as Delhi’s Chief Minister on September 21, with other ministers being sworn in on the same day.
Atishi, a 43-year-old MLA from Kalkaji and a prominent AAP leader, is stepping into the role after Kejriwal’s resignation. He announced his decision following his bail from a corruption case related to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy.
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Expressing her gratitude, Atishi acknowledged Kejriwal’s trust and said she is committed to working towards his return as Chief Minister. She praised AAP’s unique opportunities for first-time politicians and highlighted her own journey from an ordinary background.
आज दिल्ली के 2 करोड़ लोग बहुत दुखी हैं कि उनके लोकप्रिय मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल जी ने इस्तीफ़ा दे दिया है। आज से दिल्ली के लोग, आम आदमी पार्टी के विधायक और मैं – सब एक ही उद्देश्य से काम करेंगे – कि अरविंद केजरीवाल जी को फिर से मुख्यमंत्री बनाना है… pic.twitter.com/jTJtOzSCAq
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) September 17, 2024
Atishi will be the third woman Chief Minister of Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. An Oxford University alumnus and Rhodes scholar, she has been instrumental in AAP’s education reform initiatives in Delhi’s schools.
(With inputs from PTI)
