Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader Atishi has been named the next chief minister of Delhi, following Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement that he will step down after securing bail from the Supreme Court in a corruption case.
At a meeting of AAP legislators in New Delhi today, Kejriwal, who was released from jail on Friday, proposed Atishi, 43, as his successor.
The proposal was endorsed by the party members.
Kejriwal is expected to submit his resignation later in the day, paving the way for Atishi’s swearing-in as the new chief minister.
Kejriwal said on Sunday that he would step down and only return if the public grants him a “certificate of honesty.”
Atishi, a prominent figure in AAP, currently holds several key portfolios in the Delhi government, including finance, education, and the public works department.
She will be the third woman to serve as chief minister of Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj (BJP) and Sheila Dikshit (Congress).
Atishi, a legislator representing the Kalkaji constituency, is credited with leading significant reforms in Delhi’s education system. As an adviser to former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, she played a key role in improving school infrastructure, enhancing teaching standards, and launching innovative programmes like the “Happiness Curriculum” and the “Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum.”
A graduate of St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and a Chevening scholar with a master’s degree in education from Oxford University, Atishi joined the Delhi cabinet in March 2023.
