Atishi to take oath as Delhi's youngest CM in low-key ceremony | Meet 5 other ministers joining her
Atishi oath ceremony: After Arvind Kejriwal's resignation, Atishi, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is set to be sworn in as the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi on Saturday. The swearing-in ceremony, which will be an understated affair, is scheduled for 4:30 pm at Raj Bhawan. Along with Atishi, five AAP MLAs will take the oath to form the new council of ministers.
Joining Atishi in the Delhi Cabinet are seasoned AAP leaders Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain. A new face in the council is Mukesh Ahlawat, the first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra, who represents the Dalit community. It remains to be seen if any portfolios will be shuffled under the new leadership. In the outgoing government, Atishi held 13 significant portfolios, including finance, revenue, PWD, power, and education.
Atishi was chosen unanimously as the Chief Minister-designate during the AAP legislature party meeting after Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the post. Kejriwal’s unexpected resignation, days after being granted bail by the Supreme Court in a corruption case tied to the Delhi liquor policy, sent ripples through the political landscape of the capital. The former CM assured that he would return only if voters grant him a "certificate of honesty" in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, slated for February next year.
Atishi, an Oxford alumna and Rhodes Scholar, will be the third woman to hold the Chief Minister's post in Delhi after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. From her beginnings as an adviser in 2015 to becoming an MLA in 2020 and now CM in 2024, Atishi's political ascent has been swift. She first gained prominence for her efforts in improving the quality of education in Delhi’s government schools during her advisory role under former Education Minister Manish Sisodia.
As Delhi's new leader, Atishi faces significant challenges, including preparing the party for the upcoming elections and expediting key welfare schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0, and the doorstep delivery of essential services.
- With inputs from agencies
