Atishi to be sworn in as next Delhi CM

Atishi. File Pic

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi will be sworn in as the next Chief Minister of Delhi, party sources told news agency PTI. The decision was made after a legislative party meeting held on Tuesday. "The name of the new CM will be announced at 12 noon today after the legislative party meeting," a party functionary had previously told the news agency.

Kejriwal, after he was released on bail, said that he would resign and only return if the people gave him a certificate of honesty.

Atishi is a key face of the party as well as the government and holds multiple portfolios, including finance, education and PWD.

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Delhi CM designate Atishi vows to bring Kejriwal back

Manoj Jarange, a Maratha quota campaigner, has undertaken his sixth indefinite fast to demand reservation for the Maratha people under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The demonstration began at midnight in his native hamlet, Antarwali Sarati, in Maharashtra's Jalna district.

Jarange accused the Maharashtra government of purposely denying reservation for the Maratha community. He further indicated that the Marathas will give Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis "one more chance" to address the matter.

"I will work under Arvind Kejriwal's guidance to protect the people of Delhi and bring him back to the CM's post," Atishi said during a press conference. She added that the occasion was a "sad" one and asked her party members not to congratulate her.

Atishi emphasised that Kejriwal had trusted her, appointing her as an MLA, then a minister, and now chief minister. She noted that such opportunities are uncommon for novices to other political parties. Atishi also mentioned widespread outrage over Kejriwal's resignation, which she called as an unprecedented event in the country's history.

Kejriwal is scheduled to meet with Lt Governor V K Saxena to formally retire, paving the way for Atishi to become Delhi's third woman Chief Minister, succeeding Congress' Sheila Dikshit and the BJP's Sushma Swaraj.

Atishi further slammed the central government, claiming that agencies such as the ED and CBI were utilised to target Kejriwal. She described the Supreme Court's recent award of bail to Kejriwal in the excise policy-related corruption case as a blow to the Centre.

With PTI inputs