Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi , making her the third woman to hold this position, following Sheila Dikshit of Congress and Sushma Swaraj of the BJP. At 43, she also becomes the youngest chief minister of the Union Territory.
The ceremony was held at Raj Niwas just days after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned, pledging to return only after being re-elected. Alongside Atishi, five other AAP ministers took their oaths during the event.
Before the swearing-in, Atishi met with Kejriwal at his residence, and they traveled together to Raj Niwas. Notable attendees included former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Chief Secretary Dharmendra.
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Atishi’s time in office is expected to be brief, as the Delhi Assembly’s term will conclude in late February. With her appointment, she becomes the 17th woman chief minister in India, joining the ranks of prominent leaders such as Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Mamata Banerjee.
In addition to the four current AAP ministers, Atishi’s cabinet will include a new member, Sultanpur Majra MLA Mukesh Ahlawat. On Friday evening, President Droupadi Murmu officially appointed Atishi as Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory, accepting Kejriwal’s resignation.
The ceremony was relatively low-key, reflecting some discontent among AAP members regarding Kejriwal’s decision, which followed an investigation into the Delhi liquor policy case.
After spending six months in custody, Kejriwal was released on interim bail by the Supreme Court on September 13 and subsequently announced his resignation, stating he would only return once the people of Delhi affirm his integrity through re-election.
