Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was sworn in as Delhi’s 8th Chief Minister on Saturday at Raj Niwas, following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation earlier this week after securing bail in the liquor policy case. Atishi becomes the third woman to serve as Delhi's Chief Minister and the 17th woman to hold the position in India. At 43, she is also the youngest woman to assume the role in Delhi.

Alongside Atishi, five cabinet ministers took their oaths—four from the previous administration and one new addition. The new cabinet consists of Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat, a fresh face in the team.

Atishi, a first-time MLA from Kalkaji, previously managed 13 portfolios in Kejriwal’s government, including finance, power, and education. During Kejriwal's time in jail, she emerged as a key figure within the party. The new cabinet members are expected to retain their earlier portfolios, with Mukesh Ahlawat likely to inherit the duties of Raaj Kumar Anand, who resigned earlier this year.

Kejriwal’s unexpected resignation on September 17, after his release from Tihar Jail, came with a vow to return only after receiving a “certificate of honesty” from voters in the upcoming assembly elections. The AAP’s legislative party quickly nominated Atishi as the new leader, with Kejriwal himself proposing her for the role.

Though her tenure will be short-lived, with Delhi assembly elections set for February, Atishi and her team plan to continue the work of the outgoing government. Senior AAP leaders have emphasized that the party’s focus is now on ensuring Kejriwal’s return to power with an even stronger mandate.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders have criticized Atishi’s appointment, accusing her of being part of a “corrupt” administration and alleging that she will serve merely as a "rubber stamp" for Kejriwal, who they claim remains the real decision-maker behind the scenes.