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Atishi thanked Arvind Kejriwal on being given the responsibility of succeeding him. (PTI File Photos)
Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the Delhi chief minister on Tuesday
Delhi Chief Minister-designate Atishi and her cabinet will take the oath of office on September 21, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said on Thursday. The ruling party had initially decided that only Atishi would be sworn in, however, it was later determined that her council of ministers would also take the oath.
Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the Delhi chief minister on Tuesday, after which Atishi staked claim to form a new government in the national capital. This comes a day after Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena proposed September 21 for the swearing-in of the Chief Minister-designate.
‘Low-Key Affair’
Earlier, the ruling AAP said Kejriwal will also give up security and move out of the chief minister’s residence in 15 days to live like a “commoner”. The oath ceremony of the new chief minister is likely to be held at Raj Niwas and is expected to be a “low-key affair” in view of the circumstances of Kejriwal’s resignation.
According to an AAP functionary, Atishi herself has said it was an extremely sad moment and urged party leaders and workers not to congratulate her. A source in the LG Secretariat said outgoing chief minister Kejriwal’s resignation letter has also been moved to Murmu. The development takes place after Atishi in a meeting with the LG staked claim to form the new government in the national capital after Kejriwal resigned from the CM’s post.
Council of ministers
As Atishi is set to become the next chief minister of Delhi, the buzz over the new members of her council of ministers has intensified. AAP sources said party leaders Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain, who were ministers in the previous Kejriwal government, will be retained and two party MLAs will also be inducted in the new Cabinet.
The new chief minister will prove majority of her government in the Delhi Assembly and its session has been called by the ruling AAP dispensation on September 26-27. The assembly’s term ends on February 23 next year and elections are expected to be held sometime in early February.
BJP Slams AAP
Meanwhile, AAP claimed that if the BJP comes to power in Delhi, it will stop all free government schemes, including free electricity, mohalla clinics and education. The saffron party hit back at the AAP leader, accusing him of “misleading” people. AAP leader Sanjay Singh said only Kejriwal intends to provide these free facilities to the residents of Delhi and has been fighting to continue the schemes despite opposition from the BJP.
“The Kejriwal-led AAP government has been providing free education, electricity and medicines through mohalla clinics, among other things, to the residents of Delhi. If Kejriwal is not there, all these facilities will be stopped by the BJP,” he claimed. Reacting to this, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP leader of “misleading” people. Sachdeva said only a few months ago, the LG said the free services, including electricity, water and ration, will continue.
(With agency inputs)
