The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced on Thursday Delhi chief minister-designate Atishi and her cabinet will take the oath of office on September 21.
The AAP initially planned for only Atishi to be sworn in, but later decided that her full council of ministers would also take the oath.
After Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as Delhi chief minister on Tuesday, Atishi moved to establish a new government. Managing 14 portfolios such as finance, education, and revenue, and playing a crucial role during Arvind Kejriwal’s imprisonment.
Atishi will become Delhi’s third female chief minister, following Sheila Dikshit of Congress and Sushma Swaraj of BJP. Although Atishi was widely seen as the frontrunner for the role, given her close ties to both Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy, Manish Sisodia, speculation over Kejriwal’s successor was intense.
Putting an end to the uncertainty, Kejriwal officially put forward Atishi’s name during a meeting of the AAP legislative party, where it was unanimously approved.
Atishi was the driving force for significant educational reforms in Delhi’s government schools. She was instrumental in reimagining school facilities, raising teaching standards, and launching several initiatives such as the “Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum” and the “Happiness Curriculum” while serving as deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s advisor.
Atishi represents the Kalkaji constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly (MLA) and is a senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician. She first rose to prominence as an advisor to the Delhi government’s education department and later became an MLA after winning the 2020 elections.
Arvind Kejriwal, who was released from jail on Friday, announced on Sunday that he would resign from the post and would only return if people give him a certificate of honesty.
The developments underline the churn in Delhi’s politics, just months ahead of its scheduled assembly polls in February 2025. The AAP, which is battling mounting allegations of financial irregularities and crumbling civic infrastructure in the Capital, has been buoyed in recent weeks by the release of senior leaders such as Kejriwal and former deputy CM Manish Sisodia.