AAP's Atishi takes oath as new chief minister following Kejriwal's resignation | WATCH
As assembly elections loom in February, Atishi's government will need to accelerate approval of various welfare initiatives, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and the Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.
Delhi News: Atishi, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi, making history as the youngest person to hold the position. She succeeds Arvind Kejriwal, who resigned after being granted bail in an ongoing excise policy case. Atishi's swearing-in took place during a modest ceremony at Raj Niwas, where she and her new cabinet members took their oaths before Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
A Unified Selection by AAP
Atishi was unanimously chosen by AAP MLAs in a meeting on September 17. She previously represented the Kalkaji constituency and was the sole woman minister in the outgoing cabinet. President Droupadi Murmu formally appointed her as Chief Minister and approved the resignations of Kejriwal and his council of ministers.
#WATCH | AAP leader Atishi takes oath as Chief Minister of Delhi pic.twitter.com/R1iomGAaS9
— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2024
Cabinet Composition
Alongside Atishi, the new cabinet includes Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain, and first-time MLA Mukesh Ahlawat from Sultanpur Majra. Each minister has previously held significant portfolios; for instance, Atishi managed 13 departments, including finance and education, in the prior government.
Focus on Dalit and Backward Communities
New minister Mukesh Ahlawat emphasized his commitment to uplift Dalit and backward communities, crediting his rise to Arvind Kejriwal and Baba Saheb. He stated, “It’s all because of Arvind Kejriwal and Baba Saheb that people like me become the Minister.”
Gopal Rai asserted that the new government aims to tackle pending projects and reinforce their mission to support Kejriwal's potential return to power. The new administration faces criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and plans to demonstrate its majority in the upcoming assembly session on September 26-27. As assembly elections loom in February, Atishi's government will need to accelerate approval of various welfare initiatives, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and the Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.
