Arvind Kejriwal aims to checkmate BJP with Atishi as CM

Atishi passes Arvind Kejriwal loyalty test

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, September 17: Delhi Minister Atishi Marlena will be the next chief minister of the national capital. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed Atishi for his replacement in the legislative party meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday.

Kejriwal will submit his resignation letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena this evening. Saxena is likely to confirm the date of the swearing of the next chief minister of the national capital.

Kejriwal announced on Sunday that he would quit from the post of the chief minister of Delhi. He was speaking to the party workers on his release from the Tihar Jail. He got bail from the Supreme Court.

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Atishi is an incumbent member of the legislative assembly from Kalkaji. She earned her reputation as a staunch loyalist of Kejriwal.

Delhi Ministers Saurabh Bhardwaj and Kailash Gehlot were also in the reckoning. Both lost the race to Atishi on Tuesday.

After late Sheila Dikshit, Delhi will get second woman chief minister. Late Dikshit had served as chief minister of Delhi for record 15 years.

Gehlot hails from Jat community. Political pundits speculated that the AAP could bet on Gehlot with an eye on Haryana Assembly elections.

Bhardwaj has been the most vocal face of the AAP in Delhi after the top leadership had landed in the Tihar Jail. But he too lost the race to Atishi.

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In Atishi, the AAP has armed the party with a woman face who may pose a challenge for the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party to target. The BJP in Delhi has always struggled against a woman chief minister.

The BJP had been clueless against late Dikshit for 15 years. The AAP hopes that the party will capitalise on the middle class vote base in Delhi with Atishi as the face.

Kejriwal had told the AAP workers that he and his former deputy Manish Sisodia will return to the official positions after the people give them the “certificates of honesty”. Delhi Assembly elections will be held in February next year.

The Opposition had claimed that Kejriwal is “enacting a drama” with his resignation plan. By formalising selection of his successor, Kejriwal has shown that he is working as per a plan.

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Delhi’s political observers note that the city government is already lame duck as the officials allegedly listen to the commands of Saxena. Kejriwal was also bound by strict conditions that may have further reduced the sanctity of the office of the chief minister.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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