Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi took charge as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi on Monday (September 23, 2024) after taking the oath of office on Saturday (September 21, 2024). Refusing to sit on the chair used by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, Ms. Atishi chose to sit on a different chair. “This is Delhi’s Chief Minister’s chair, this chair, is Arvind Kejriwal ji’s,“ she said after taking charge at the Delhi Secretariat.
The third and the youngest woman Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms. Atishi has retained the 13 portfolios she held in the Kejriwal government, including those of education, revenue, finance, power and PWD.
Atishi takes charge as Delhi Chief Minister, leaving a chair empty for Arvind Kejriwal at her office in the Delhi Secretariat in New Delhi on September 23, 2024. | Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
“I have full faith that in the election which is due in February, the people of Delhi will elect Arvind Kejriwal ji as Chief Minister again. Till then this chair will be in this room, in expectation of Arvind Kejriwal ji,” she said.
In her first interaction with the media, after being announced as the next CM, in the last week, she had called Mr. Kejriwal her “guru”. She said the media, “there is only one Chief Minister of Delhi and the CM’s name is Arvind Kejriwal”.
She had also underlined that she will be the Chief Minister only for a few months till the next Assembly election and making Mr. Kejriwal the CM again is her and the party’s only intention.
“I will work for four months as the chief minister of Delhi as Bharat did by keeping Lord Ram’s Khadaun on the throne. Arvind Kejriwal has set an example of dignity in politics by stepping down. The BJP left no stone unturned to tarnish his image,” she said after taking charge.
Saurabh Bharadwaj has eight departments under him, the highest after Atishi, including those of health, tourism, art and culture. New entrant Mukesh Ahlawat has a portfolio of labour, SC and ST, employment and land and building departments.
Gopal Rai has been given the portfolio of development, general administration department, environment and forest — the portfolios he held in the Kejriwal government. Kailash Gahlot has also retained his previous portfolios — transport, home, administrative reforms, women and child development.
The Delhi Assembly’s session will be held on September 26 and 27.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published - September 23, 2024 01:06 pm IST
