Atishi Is Delhi’s New Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal To Resign Later Today: AAP

Atishi Is Delhi’s New Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal To Resign Later Today: AAP

Atishi is the new Chief Minister of Delhi, following a high-level legislative party meet which was headed by Arvind Kejriwal at his residence in Delhi today. Kejriwal suggested the name of Atishi during the meeting, and she is likely to enter the office.

Kejriwal will formally submit his resignation today, and he is also expected to meet Lt Governor VK Saxena at 4.30 pm.

Kejriwal Announces Resignation

Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail on September 13, where he had been detained in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. But literally, the Chief Minister gave in just two days after his release.

Kejriwal declared his intention to resign as Chief Minister within the next 48 hours. He has also demanded early elections in Delhi and promised not to return to the chief minister’s chair until the public gave him a “certificate of honesty.”

Soon after the announcement, AAP held a spate of meetings to decide on Kejriwal’s successor. The party’s highest decision-making body, the political affairs committee, held a series of one-on-one meetings at Kejriwal’s official residence to get feedback on the probable candidates.

WHO WERE THE PROBABLES

Ahead of that, several names were doing the rounds as front runners: Delhi ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Besides them, Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, too was in the contention along with speaker Ram Niwas Goel.

Also Read: ‘People Chose Kejriwal’: AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj Invokes Ramayana Amid CM Resignation

Others mentioned included Mangolpuri MLA Rakhi Birla, who is also the deputy speaker, and Kondli legislator Kuldeep Kumar.

There have also been speculations of a possible upset candidate from the minority community owing to the party’s wavering support with them since the 2020 Delhi riots.