GUWAHATI: Delhi Education Minister Atishi Marlena has been selected to be the next Chief Minister of Delhi after incumbent Arvind Kejriwal steps down later in the day.
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The decision was finalised during a meeting of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators on Tuesday, September 17. A formal announcement from the party is expected soon.
The leadership transition comes after a proposal was made by AAP leader Dilip Pandey, allowing Kejriwal to choose his successor. When Kejriwal proposed Atishi's name, it was met with unanimous support from all AAP MLAs, who reportedly stood in agreement as she was elected leader of the legislature party.
Atishi, 43, currently holds key portfolios in the Delhi government, including Education and the Public Works Department (PWD). An Oxford University alumna and Rhodes Scholar, she has played a crucial role in transforming the education system in Delhi’s public schools, a flagship initiative of the AAP government.
An MLA representing Kalkaji, Atishi entered the Delhi cabinet following the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the now-scrapped liquor policy scandal.
During Kejriwal and Sisodia’s legal troubles, Atishi often represented the party at public events and media interactions, demonstrating her growing stature within the AAP.
In August, she was also selected by Kejriwal to hoist the national flag at Delhi's Independence Day event. Though this plan was blocked by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, it underscored the party’s faith in her leadership abilities.
