Delhi New CM Atishi Marlena Oath Swearing Ceremony: Days after being named CM-designate, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was sworn in as the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi at Raj Niwas on Saturday. Alongside her, five other newly appointed ministers—Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot, and Mukesh Ahlawat, the new MLA for Sultanpur Majra—also took their oaths in the Delhi government.
Atishi, representing the Kalkaji constituency and the only woman minister in the Delhi Cabinet, was unanimously chosen for the Chief Minister position by AAP legislators on September 17. She will succeed Arvind Kejriwal, who resigned after being granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the controversial Delhi liquor policy case.
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AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain, Mukesh Ahlawat administered oath as ministers in CM Atishi-led Delhi government
Atishi Marlena takes oath as the new Chief Minister of Delhi, marking the fourth consecutive AAP government in the capital. She becomes the 17th female chief minister in India.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Delhi Chief Minister-designate Atishi and her future cabinet members met AAP supremo and outgoing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday.
Atishi, along with AAP leaders Gopal Rai and Kailash Gahlot, visited Kejriwal’s residence in Civil Lines before the swearing-in ceremony, which is scheduled for 4:30 PM. Atishi and her cabinet will take their oaths under the administration of Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at Raj Niwas.
Atishi, along with other AAP Cabinet ministers, is set to meet outgoing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence before attending the oath-taking ceremony at Raj Niwas, scheduled for 4:30 PM today.
As the swearing-in takes place, one position in the seven-member Delhi Cabinet is expected to remain vacant. According to an AAP official, the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat has received only six names for the ceremony.
In the outgoing Kejriwal government, Atishi held 13 portfolios, including finance, revenue, PWD, power and education. The new Council of Ministers announced by the party comprises Sultanpur Majra MLA Mukesh Ahlawat, a new entrant, besides ministers Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain. Gopal Rai was in charge of the environment, development and general administration departments, while Bharadwaj looked after the health, tourism and urban development departments among others. Gahlot held the responsibility of transport, home and women and child development departments, while Hussain was the minister for food and supplies. AAP sources said the four ministers retained in the new Cabinet are likely to hold their previous portfolios while Ahlawat could be allotted those lying vacant following the resignation of minister Raaj Kumar Anand in April this year.
The tenure of the Atishi government will be brief as the assembly polls in Delhi are due in February next year. Her government will have to fast-track and give nod to various pending policies and welfare schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0 and doorstep delivery of services among others.
AAP MLAs met earlier this week and unanimously chose Atishi as the leader of the ruling legislature party. In the outgoing Kejriwal government, Atishi held 13 portfolios, including finance, revenue, PWD, power and education. The party's national convener Kejriwal walked out of the Tihar jail on September 13, after more than five months behind bars in an excise policy case. In a surprise announcement two days later, Kejriwal said he would resign from the post of the chief minister of Delhi in the wake of the BJP's "mudslinging" against him over corruption. Kejriwal also announced that he would return to the post only after getting a "certificate of honesty" from Delhi people in the assembly polls.
The Atishi-led Delhi government will seek to demonstrate its majority in the Assembly during a special session convened by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on September 26-27. With assembly elections scheduled for February next year, the tenure of this government will be short.
During this brief period, the new government will need to expedite approval for several pending policies and welfare schemes. Key initiatives awaiting a nod include the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0, and the doorstep delivery of services program.
In Delhi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Imran Hussain will take their oaths as Cabinet Ministers. Mukesh Ahlawat will also be sworn in as a Cabinet Minister, making him a new addition to the Delhi Cabinet. Ahlawat, who is an MLA from Sultanpuri and belongs to the Scheduled Caste category, will replace Rajkumar Anand. It is noteworthy that there are a total of six ministers in the Delhi government, including the Chief Minister. Alongside the Chief Minister, five ministers will take their oaths, while one minister's position remains vacant, which will be filled in place of Atishi.
AAP leader and Chief Minister-designate Atishi Marlena will be sworn in at Raj Niwas at 4:30 PM on Saturday, September 21. The ceremony was originally set for a special Assembly session on September 26-27 but was rescheduled at the request of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor.
Born on June 8, 1981, to esteemed Delhi University professors Vijay Kumar Singh and Tripta Wahi, Atishi began her education at Springdale School in New Delhi. She later attended St Stephen’s College, where she excelled in history, achieving the top position in Delhi University. Her academic journey continued at Oxford University, where she pursued her Master’s degree on a prestigious Chevening scholarship.
Until April 2018, Atishi served as an advisor to Education Minister Manish Sisodia. In this role, she was instrumental in revamping the education system in government-run schools across the national capital, as noted on the AAP website. She is also recognized for her contributions to innovative initiatives, including the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ implemented in Delhi schools.
Atishi, 43, has played a pivotal role in the outgoing Kejriwal-led government, holding at least 14 key portfolios. Her responsibilities span critical areas such as Finance, Education, Public Works Department, Power, Revenue, Law, Planning, Services, Information and Publicity, and Vigilance. She secured her position by winning the Kalkaji assembly seat in the 2020 assembly elections.
In a significant political shift, President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Atishi as the Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, effective from the date of her swearing-in. This decision comes alongside the acceptance of Arvind Kejriwal's resignation.
Additionally, the President has cleared the appointment of five ministers. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to take place at Raj Niwas on September 21.
With the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections in February 2025, Chief Minister Atishi is set to prioritise fast-tracking critical pending policies. Key initiatives include the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and the rollout of Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.
AAP has claimed that if the BJP comes to power in Delhi, it will end all free government schemes, including free electricity, mohalla clinics, and education. In response, the BJP accused AAP leaders of misleading the public. AAP leader Sanjay Singh emphasized that only Kejriwal is committed to providing these free services to Delhi residents, fighting to maintain these schemes despite opposition from the BJP.
The new chief minister will seek to prove the majority of her government in the Delhi Assembly, with a session called by AAP for September 26-27. The Assembly's term ends on February 23 next year, with elections anticipated in early February.
According to the reports, ministers from the previous government—Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain—will be retained, with two additional party MLAs joining the new cabinet.
After being released on bail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and activists, announcing his resignation from his position. He cited the corruption charges against him as the reason for stepping down and made it clear that Manish Sisodia will not take over as chief minister. This development has heightened political tensions in Delhi. Kejriwal has also indicated that he will forgo security and vacate the chief minister's residence within 15 days to live as a "commoner." The oath ceremony is expected to take place at Raj Niwas and will likely be a "low-key affair" due to the circumstances surrounding Kejriwal's resignation.
The ceremony was originally planned for a special Assembly session on September 26-27 but was rescheduled at the request of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor. Atishi staked her claim to form a new government following Arvind Kejriwal's resignation on Tuesday.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be a low-key event, as the party's mood is dampened by Kejriwal’s resignation and delays in approvals, which have left little time for preparations, according to the reports.
Delhi Chief Minister-designate Atishi and her cabinet will take the oath of office on September 21, as announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday. Initially, only Atishi was set to be sworn in, but it was later decided that her entire council of ministers would join her.