Atishi steps in as Delhi Chief Minister, leaves Arvind Kejriwal's chair vacant
Atishi became Delhi's eighth Chief Minister on September 23, 2024, but left Arvind Kejriwal¡¯s chair vacant, expressing confidence in his return after the 2025 elections. While she retained key portfolios, her gesture was criticized by the BJP as undermining the CM¡¯s office. At 43, she is the youngest and third woman to serve as Delhi's Chief Minister, following Sheila Dikshit and Sushma Swaraj.
In a significant political shift, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi officially took charge as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi on Monday (September 23, 2024). After taking the oath of office on Saturday (September 21, 2024), Atishi chose not to occupy the chair used by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal. Instead, she sat on a different chair, remarking, "This is Delhi¡¯s Chief Minister¡¯s chair, this chair, is Arvind Kejriwal ji¡¯s," during her first day in office at the Delhi Secretariat.
Atishi, who now becomes the youngest woman to lead Delhi, has retained the 13 portfolios she handled under the Kejriwal government, including key departments such as education, revenue, finance, power, and public works.
Atishi keeps Kejriwal¡¯s chair in place for future return
During her address, Atishi expressed confidence in Kejriwal¡¯s return to power following the upcoming Delhi Assembly election in February 2025. ¡°I have full faith that in the election which is due in February, the people of Delhi will elect Arvind Kejriwal ji as Chief Minister again. Till then this chair will be in this room, in expectation of Arvind Kejriwal ji,¡± she said.
Earlier, when she was announced as the next Chief Minister last week, Atishi called Kejriwal her ¡°guru¡± and reiterated that for her and the AAP, Kejriwal remains the true leader of Delhi. ¡°There is only one Chief Minister of Delhi and the CM¡¯s name is Arvind Kejriwal,¡± she told the media.
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¡ª Atishi (@AtishiAAP) September 23, 2024
Atishi, who will serve as Chief Minister for a few months until the election, likened her role to the character Bharat in the Ramayana, who ruled in Lord Ram¡¯s absence by placing his sandals on the throne. "I will work for four months as the chief minister of Delhi as Bharat did by keeping Lord Ram¡¯s Khadaun on the throne,¡± she added. She further praised Kejriwal for maintaining dignity in politics, stating that the BJP had tried to tarnish his image but failed.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, who has the second-highest number of departments after Atishi, retains control over eight portfolios, including health, tourism, art, and culture. New cabinet member Mukesh Ahlawat will oversee labour, employment, SC/ST, and land departments, while Gopal Rai continues with his previous portfolios like development and environment. Kailash Gahlot remains in charge of transport, home, and women and child development.
BJP criticises Atishi for reserving Kejriwal¡¯s chair
The decision to place an empty chair beside her, symbolically left for Kejriwal, has sparked criticism from the BJP. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva condemned the gesture, calling it an insult to the office of the Chief Minister and a violation of constitutional norms.
"Placing two chairs at the Chief Minister's desk is disrespect to the Constitution, the rules, and the office of the Chief Minister. This is not an act of idealism, as Atishi claims, but blatant sycophancy in clear terms,¡± Sachdeva said in a statement.
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¡ª Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 23, 2024
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BJP¡¯s IT Cell head Amit Malviya also criticised the act on social media, calling it political theatre. "This drama in Delhi must stop. Today Atishi Marlena took charge by placing an empty chair next to her chief minister's chair. That means Atishi is the Manmohan Singh of the Delhi government and the real chief minister is Arvind Kejriwal,¡± he wrote on Twitter.
He added that Atishi¡¯s move mocks the Constitution, suggesting that her loyalty to Kejriwal undermines her authority as Chief Minister. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also voiced his displeasure, claiming that by reserving a chair for Kejriwal, Atishi disrespects the Chief Minister's office and the Constitution. "How can a chief minister admit to being a puppet?¡± Tiwari asked, adding that the act damages public sentiment.
Youngest woman to lead Delhi
At 43 years old, Atishi has made history as the youngest person and only the third woman to serve as Delhi¡¯s Chief Minister, following Sheila Dikshit and Sushma Swaraj. She was chosen for the role after Kejriwal¡¯s resignation in the wake of an interim bail order from the Supreme Court in the excise policy case.
Atishi joins Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal as one of the only two female Chief Ministers currently serving in India. However, her term as Delhi¡¯s leader is expected to be short, as the Assembly elections are set for February 2025.
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Kumar Debvrat is a copyeditor at Indiatimes. He writes about trending topics in India, from human-interest stories to cricket. He has a sharp eye for detail and a passion for storytelling.