Senior AAP leader Atishi will be the new chief minister of Delhi, the party unanimously agreed on Tuesday after Arvind Kejriwal proposed her name as his successor at a meeting of party MLAs.
Kejriwal, who was released from jail on Friday, announced on Sunday that he would resign from his post and return only if people give him a certificate of honesty.
It is noteworthy that Atishi is the main face of the party as well as the government and she holds many departments including Finance, Education and PWD.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal proposes the name of Delhi Minister Atishi as the new Chief Minister. She has been elected as the leader of Delhi AAP Legislative Party: AAP Sources pic.twitter.com/65VPmPpA39
— ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2024
Let us inform you that Kejriwal will meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at 4.30 pm and during this time he will submit his resignation.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai told in a press conference what role Atishi, who is going to become the Chief Minister after Kejriwal, will play.
Gopal Rai said, “When he (Arvind Kejriwal) decided to resign, a meeting of the legislative party was held today. It was decided unanimously in the meeting that till the next elections, which we want to happen as soon as possible in October-November and the people make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi with a huge majority, Atishi will take over the responsibility as the new CM.”
Rai, a minister in the AAP government, also targeted the BJP.
Gopal Rai said, “Today a meeting of the Delhi AAP Legislature Party was called. In the meeting, Atishi was unanimously given the responsibility of CM till the next Delhi elections. We had to give this responsibility under adverse circumstances. The way the BJP government at the center, the entire BJP, the Prime Minister of the country conspired and destroyed AAP by misusing the agencies. The way governments were toppled in the country, in the same way an attempt was made to topple the Delhi government. Foiling all such attempts, AAP continued its unity and work.”
#WATCH After Atishi was elected as the leader of AAP legislative party and the new CM of Delhi, Delhi minister Gopal Rai said, “Today, Delhi AAP legislative party meeting was called. In the meeting, Atishi was unanimously given the responsibilities of the CM until next Delhi… pic.twitter.com/TX9xZBKxKm
— ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2024
He said, “They tried to make Arvind Kejriwal resign from jail so that they could topple the government. But in the interest of the people of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal decided not to resign from jail and run the government from there. But after coming out of jail, with his greatest strength – honesty, he did for the people of Delhi what no other state government in India has done till date. After coming out, he decided to go to the people’s court and until the people elect him as the Chief Minister once again, he will not work as the Chief Minister.”
It is noteworthy that before this announcement, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj had ruled out the possibility of Delhi Chief Minister’s wife Sunita Kejriwal taking charge.
When asked about Arvind Kejriwal’s possible successor, Bhardwaj said, “I don’t know whether it will be someone from the council of ministers or someone from the MLAs. But we will tell you. As far as I understand Arvind Kejriwal’s politics, I don’t think it will be Sunita Kejriwal. She is not interested in it.”
AAP MLA Gopal Rai, who reached Kejriwal’s residence for the meeting, told ANI, “Legislature party meeting has been called. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will not remain CM until the public supports him and elects him again. Till then, the party will elect a CM and the government will work under the leadership of that CM. Government will be formed in Delhi once again under the leadership of CM Kejriwal.”
On Saturday, Kejriwal announced that he will resign and will not continue as chief minister until the people of Delhi declare him “honest”. He also demanded that the national capital should hold elections in November this year ahead of the February polls.
Kejriwal said if the people re-elect him, it would be a “certificate” of his honesty. He said he would demand early elections like in Maharashtra.
The announcement by the 54-year-old leader comes two days after he was released from Tihar Jail following bail from the Supreme Court in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
The Supreme Court also imposed certain conditions on Kejriwal’s release, including that he must refrain from making public comments about the case and appear in all hearings before the trial court unless exempted.