AAP leader Atishi stakes claim to form government in Delhi, expresses gratitude to Kejriwal for placing trust in her

Atishi. Pic/PTI

AAP leader Atishi, who has staked claim to become the next Delhi Chief Minister, said on Tuesday that she is happy over trust posed in her by the outgoing CM Arvind Kejriwal but also sad that he has resigned from his post.

Atishi told reporters that she will work to bring back Kejriwal as Chief Minister after the assembly polls, which would be held in the next few months.

She said it would not have been possible in any other party that a first-time politician becomes the Chief Minister.

"First of all, I would like to thank the popular CM of Delhi, AAP national convener and my guru - Arvind Kejriwal. He gave me such a huge responsibility and trusted me for it. This can be done only in AAP, only under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, that a first-time politician becomes the CM of a state. I come from an ordinary family. Had I been in any other party, perhaps I would not have been given even an election ticket," Atishi said.

"But Arvind Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA and a minister and today gave me the responsibility of the CM. I am happy that Arvind Kejriwal placed such trust in me. But I am also sad because Delhi CM and my elder brother, Arvind Kejriwal is resigning today. On behalf of all AAP MLAs and the 2 crore people of Delhi, I would like to say that there is just one CM of Delhi - Arvind Kejriwal," she added.

Atishi will be the third woman chief minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal, who is also Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, resigned as Delhi Chief Minister.

Kejriwal tendered his resignation to Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Talking to reporters, AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai said that Kejriwal had stated after getting bail in the Delhi excise policy case that he will take the post of Chief Minister till he gets renewed mandate from the people of Delhi in the assembly poll.

"Accordingly he gave his resignation. AAP MLAs met in the morning and elected Atishi as their leader. We have conveyed this to the LG. Atishi has staked claim to form the government. We have requested that date of swearing in is decided at the earliest so that works related to the 2 crore resdients are taken forward," he said.

Rai said the new government will work to protect the initiatives taken by Kejriwal for the people of Delhi.

Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail in the national capital on September 14 after the apex court granted him bail the Delhi excise policy case.

The apex court also imposed certain conditions on Kejriwal's release, including that he must refrain from making public comments about the case and must attend all hearings before the trial court unless exempt.

Atishi, 43, is a prominent AAP leader and served as Advisor to Manish Sisodia when he was Education Minister. AAP leaders said she played a pivotal role in revamping the state of education in government-run schools in the national capital.Atishi did her schooling from Springdale School in New Delhi. She studied history at St. Stephen's College, where she stood first in the Delhi University, and went on to Oxford University to pursue her Master's on a Chevening scholarship. A few years later she earned her second Master's from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in Educational Research.

AAP leaders said Atishi spent seven years in a small village in Madhya Pradesh where she got involved in organic farming and progressive education systems. She worked with several non-profit organisations there.

Atishi joined AAP at the time of its inception and was a key member of the Manifesto Drafting Committee of the party for the 2013 Assembly election. She has also served as a party spokesperson.

She represents Kalkaji constituency in the Delhi Assembly and holds the highest number of portfolios in the Delhi government.

Atishi was appointed to the Delhi cabinet in March 2023 in the face of difficulties faced by AAP following arrest of Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case. He has also been released on bail in the case.

Atishi will have her task cut out as she will be key face of AAP as it prepares for assembly polls with aim to come to power again in the national capital.

AAP has demanded early polls to the Delhi assembly. The last assembly polls were held in early 2020.

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