Atishi to Take Oath as Delhi Chief Minister at Raj Niwas Following Kejriwal's Resignation

The swearing-in of AAP leader Atishi as Delhi's chief minister, along with her council of ministers, is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Raj Niwas. Officials from the lieutenant governor's office confirmed that President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Atishi as the new chief minister and accepted Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. The ceremony will commence at 4:30 pm.

After Kejriwal resigned as chief minister, both his resignation and Atishi's government formation files were sent to President Murmu for approval. The AAP MLAs met earlier this week, unanimously selecting Atishi as the leader of the ruling legislature party. The new council of ministers will include Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain, and newcomer Mukesh Ahlawat.

New Cabinet Formation

Rai, Gahlot, Bharadwaj, and Hussain served in the outgoing Kejriwal government. Ahlawat is a first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra. Sources suggest these ministers may retain their previous portfolios. Ahlawat might take over departments left vacant after Raaj Kumar Anand's resignation in April.

The ceremony is expected to be modest due to Kejriwal's resignation and delays in approvals, leaving little time for preparations. Kejriwal announced his resignation following BJP's corruption allegations against him. He stated he would return as chief minister after receiving a certificate of honesty from Delhi voters in the assembly polls.

Upcoming Challenges for Atishi

Atishi's government will have a short tenure with assembly elections due in February next year. Her administration must quickly approve pending policies like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0. In the previous government, Atishi managed 13 portfolios including finance and education.

Rai was responsible for environment and general administration departments. Bharadwaj handled health and urban development among others. Gahlot oversaw transport and women and child development departments while Hussain managed food and supplies.

Kejriwal was released from Tihar jail on September 13 after over five months in an excise policy case. Two days later, he announced his resignation amid BJP's accusations. His decision has set the stage for Atishi to lead Delhi until the upcoming elections.