Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal has proposed Atishi’s name as his successor for the post of CM. Kejriwal is scheduled to tender his resignation later in the day after he meets with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
The decision was taken at an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators’ meeting on Tuesday. Announcing the ‘unanimous’ decision of the party, Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said, “When he (Arvind Kejriwal) decided to resign, legislative party meeting was held today. In the meeting it was unanimously decided that until the next elections, that we want to be held in October-Novemver at the earliest, and people make Arvind Kejriwal the Delhi CM with a thumping majority, Atishi would carry out the responsibilities as the new CM…”
AAP MLA Atishi was on Tuesday also elected as the leader of Delhi AAP Legislative Party, AAP sources told ANI.
Delhi minister Atishi pipped Kailash Gahlot, who was the other frontrunner, to become the next Delhi CM, two days after Kejriwal announced that he would step down from the top post. Among the other CM probables were Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sunita, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife.
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Atishi Marlena Singh is the lone woman minister in the Delhi Cabinet. The Kalkaji MLA, who holds the maximum portfolios currently in the AAP government, will take over from party chief Arvind Kejriwal with just months left for the Delhi Assembly election.
In March last year, AAP MLA was sworn in as minister in the Delhi Cabinet alongside Saurabh Bhardwaj. They were elevated after Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were sent to jail in connection with alleged corruption and money laundering cases, respectively.
Atishi was given charge of 14 departments. Key ministries that Atishi looks after are education, finance, planning, PWD, water, power and public relations. Meanwhile, Bhardwaj was given charge of health, urban development, water and industries portfolios