Arvind Kejriwal resigns as Delhi Chief Minister, Atishi to be sworn-in

Aam Aadmi Party has called for Assembly elections in Delhi to be held in November, at the same time as Maharashtra, instead of February when the party's term as state govt ends

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal resigned from his post on Tuesday after meeting with the Lieutenant Governor, following a Sunday announcement where he vowed to seek “justice from the people’s court” through an upcoming election. Following his resignation, Aam Aadmi Party Minister Atishi will be sworn into the post to lead the Delhi government till the Assembly elections expected around February 2025.

Kejriwal’s bail and resignation

Kejriwal’s resignation comes in the wake of his arrest in connection with alleged irregularities in Delhi’s liquor policy, a case that has also implicated his former Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia. Sisodia, who was in jail for 18 months, has also vowed to seek re-election after being granted bail, with the AAP claiming that his arrest is part of a “political conspiracy” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
 

Atishi chosen to lead Delhi govt

While the list of potential successors included prominent AAP leaders like Raghav Chadha, Kailash Gahlot, and Sanjay Singh, the party unanimously chose Atishi as the interim Chief Minister.
 

“Atishi steps up to lead Delhi until the upcoming elections, carrying the weight of both CM Arvind Kejriwal’s vision and the national capital’s future,” a statement from the party said.

Atishi, a well-known figure within the AAP, has pledged to continue working toward Kejriwal’s re-election.

“I will work with just one goal. We have to make Arvind Kejriwal the Chief Minister of Delhi once again,” she said to the press after her new post was announced earlier today. She expressed gratitude to Kejriwal for his trust in her leadership, saying, “I come from an ordinary family. Had I been in any other party, perhaps I would not have been given even an election ticket. But Arvind Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA [legislator] and a minister and today, gave me the responsibility of the Chief Minister.”

AAP calls for early Assembly elections

Kejriwal, who was the face of Delhi’s governance since 2015, was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court after six months in detention related to the liquor policy case. Though he refrained from actively functioning as Chief Minister due to legal restrictions, his party has called for a November election, possibly coinciding with the Maharashtra elections, to seek a fresh mandate from Delhi’s voters.
 

The Delhi legislative assembly elections are officially scheduled for February next year, but AAP believes an early election could expedite  Kejriwal’s return to power.