Atishi, a key leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi today at 4:30 PM. The ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor, where five other AAP MLAs will also be sworn in as ministers. Atishi will become the third woman to hold the position of Delhi Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj (BJP) and Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and will also be the youngest to assume the role.

The President of India officially appointed Atishi as the Chief Minister, effective from the time of her swearing-in, while also accepting Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation. The appointment of five new ministers has also received presidential approval.

Atishi will succeed Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s national convener, who resigned following his bail from the Supreme Court in the ongoing liquor policy case. The case also saw the arrests of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and party MP Sanjay Singh. Kejriwal, who had been in jail for six months, said upon his release, “I got justice from the legal courts... now I will get justice from the people's court. If I have worked, vote for me." His arrest was linked to corruption and money laundering allegations associated with the liquor policy scam, investigated by both the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Kejriwal’s bail comes with conditions, including restrictions on his signing of government orders or files without the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. These limitations have sparked friction between the AAP government and the Lt. Governor’s office.

BJP and Congress React to Kejriwal’s Move

After Kejriwal announced Atishi as his successor, she described the moment as emotional for both the party and the people of Delhi. Atishi added that the people are committed to re-electing Kejriwal in the future. "Until the election and formation of a new government, I will look after Delhi," she said.

The BJP questioned whether the decision stemmed from internal conflict within the AAP, with BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi sarcastically pointing out the timing of Kejriwal’s resignation: "You didn't resign when in jail, but now you're announcing it with a 48-hour notice? What’s the mystery behind these 48 hours?"

The Congress, which had previously allied with AAP during the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, criticized Kejriwal’s resignation as a "political stunt." Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said that Kejriwal stepped down because he no longer had meaningful powers as Chief Minister, calling the move "a stunt that won’t affect the upcoming elections. People want change."

As Delhi gears up for its next electoral phase, Atishi will be responsible for steering the government through this transitional period.