AAP leader Atishi attacked the Uttar Pradesh BJP government by casting criticism on it for grossly raising electricity prices from 118% on a 5-kilowatt connection, to 250% on one kilowatt. She also stated, notwithstanding the sharp increase of such enormous levels on the tariff for electricity, that the state was still facing an 8-hour power cut, in cities like Noida and Ghaziabad. She appealed to the voters not to take a chance at losing “cheaper electricity” as well as a “power supply that at least lasts for 6 hours in a day.” She would, therefore, have her voters retain the current Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

While all this is happening, AAP has announced that Kalkaji MLA Atishi will take oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Saturday, September 21. Other ministers will also take their oaths during the ceremony, said a party statement.

Shortly after her name was formally announced, the AAP legislator stated that she was happy about the trust posed in her by the outgoing Delhi CM and her party chief Arvind Kejriwal, however, at the same time, she was sad that he had resigned from his post.

Talking to reporters, Atishi said that she will work hard to bring Kejriwal back as Chief Minister after the assembly polls, which would be held in the next few months.

“First of all, I would like to thank the popular CM of Delhi, AAP national convener, and my guru – Arvind Kejriwal. He gave me such a huge responsibility and trusted me for it. This can be done only in AAP, only under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, that a first-time politician becomes the CM of a state. I come from an ordinary family. Had I been in any other party, perhaps I would not have been given even an election ticket,” Atishi was quoted as saying by ANI.

Atishi was inducted into the Delhi cabinet in March 2023 in the face of difficulties faced by AAP following the arrest of AAP No. 2 and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case. Interestingly, Sisodia has also been released on bail in connection with the case.

Delhi’s New Cabinet Finalised

Meanwhile, the new cabinet under Delhi’s future Chief Minister Atishi has been finalised. According to reports, four ministers from the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet- Saurabh Bhardwaj, Kailash Gehlot, Gopal Rai, and Imran Hussain -will be retained in the new government and they will take oath again. This time, one new face – Mukesh Ahlawat – the AAP MLA from Sultanpur Majra, will also be part of the new cabinet.

Ahlawat, who hails from the Dalit community, will be the new minister. One ministerial position remains vacant. The entire cabinet, along with CM Atishi, will take oath on Saturday, 21 September.

Atishi – Third Woman CM of Delhi

Atishi, 43, will be the third woman chief minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. She is a prominent AAP leader and served as Advisor to Manish Sisodia when he was Education Minister. AAP leaders said she played a pivotal role in revamping education in government-run schools in the national capital.

Atishi joined AAP at the time of its inception and was a key member of the Manifesto Drafting Committee of the party for the 2013 Assembly election. She has also served as a party spokesperson.

She represents the Kalkaji constituency in the Delhi Assembly and holds the highest number of portfolios in the Delhi government.

Tough Task Ahead For Atishi

As the face of the party, the charismatic AAP MLA surely has a difficult task ahead as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party prepares for the upcoming assembly elections with an aim to wrest control of Delhi again for the third time.

In the wake of Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation as Delhi chief minister, the AAP has demanded early elections in the national capital. It may be noted that the last assembly elections in Delhi were held in early 2020.

Earlier on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as the Chief Minister of Delhi, two days after getting bail from the Supreme Court in the Excise Policy case, which is being probed by the two Central agencies – CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.