Five cabinet ministers including Saurabh Bhardwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Imran Hussain and Mukesh Ahlawat also took the oath of office during the ceremony which was held at Raj Niwas.
This marks the fourth consecutive AAP government in the capital. Atishi’s parents, Tripta Wahi and Vijay Singh, were present during the ceremony at Raj Niwas.
At 42, Atishi has become the 17th female chief minister in India. However, her tenure will be brief, as Delhi’s assembly elections are slated for February next year.
Despite the short time frame, her government faces the challenge of fast-tracking several key policies and welfare schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, the updated Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0, and the doorstep delivery of services initiative.
Atishi expressed mixed feelings about the leadership change, saying, “I am happy about the trust placed in me by outgoing CM Arvind Kejriwal but am also sad that he has resigned from his post.” She emphasized her commitment to working hard to bring Kejriwal back as Chief Minister after the upcoming elections, adding, “First of all, I would like to thank the popular CM of Delhi, AAP national convener, and my guru – Arvind Kejriwal. This can be done only in AAP, only under his leadership, that a first-time politician becomes the CM of a state.”
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari extended his good wishes to Atishi, saying, “I extend good wishes to Atishi for becoming the third woman CM of Delhi… I have written to her over concerns regarding Delhi. We will extend full support to her in the coming 3-4 months.”
Atishi, a key figure in the AAP, previously held 13 portfolios in the outgoing Arvind Kejriwal government, including finance, revenue, public works department (PWD), power, and education. Following her induction, AAP leader Kailash Gahlot emphasized the importance of Kejriwal’s guidance, saying, “Our only goal is to continue to work for the people of Delhi like before and to bring back Arvind Kejriwal.”
AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat also expressed gratitude after taking his oath, saying, “It’s all because of Arvind Kejriwal and Baba Saheb that people like me become the Minister. We will work as much as possible – the priorities will be to work for the people of Dalit and backward communities.”
Gopal Rai, another newly sworn-in minister, highlighted the government’s goals, saying, “This team belongs to Arvind Kejriwal – its target is to further the works started by him. Especially, the target is to work with the people of Delhi to control air pollution as winter is coming… The AAP government has done many works – despite the unfavorable conditions, people are getting free electricity, better education, and other benefits.”