Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has resigned from his position, and Atishi is set to take over as the new Chief Minister. The announcement follows a meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Legislative Party, where Atishi was unanimously elected as the new CM.
Prior to the legislative meeting, Kejriwal convened a meeting of the Party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) at his residence. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was attended by all PAC members and current cabinet ministers. During the meeting, Kejriwal discussed potential candidates for the Chief Minister position with each leader and sought their feedback.
Who is Atishi?
Atishi was born to Professor Vijay Kumar Singh of Delhi University and Tripta Wahi. She completed her schooling at Springdales School in New Delhi. She graduated in History from St. Stephen’s College and later earned a master’s degree from Oxford University on a Chevening scholarship. A few years later, she returned to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar to complete a second master’s degree in educational research.
Atishi’s Political Journey
Atishi joined AAP at its inception and was a key member of the party’s manifesto drafting committee for the 2013 assembly elections. The party credits her with playing a crucial role in shaping its early policies. She also served as a spokesperson for AAP. From July 2015 to April 2018, she worked as an advisor to Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister, focusing on improving the quality of education in Delhi’s government schools.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Atishi was AAP’s candidate from East Delhi but lost to BJP’s Gautam Gambhir by a margin of 477,000 votes. However, she achieved a significant victory in the 2020 Delhi assembly elections, winning the Kalkaji constituency by over 11,000 votes against a BJP candidate. Her growing stature within the party was evident when, after the 2020 elections, she was appointed as the head of AAP’s Goa unit. Now, with Kejriwal’s resignation, she is set to assume one of the most pivotal roles in Delhi’s government as the Chief Minister, reflecting her status as one of Kejriwal’s most trusted lieutenants.