Atishi takes over as the Chief Minister of Delhi after Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. (Photo credit: Raj Niwas)Delhi New Chief Minister Highlights, September 17: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal resigned on Tuesday, paving way for Atishi to be the third woman CM of the national capital. CM-designate Atishi handed over the letter of support from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to L-G VK Saxena, staking claim to head the government. After party members chose her to lead the government, an emotional Atishi thanked Kejriwal for his trust in her, saying such opportunities are unique to AAP, where a first-time politician can rise to this level. She also reiterated the party’s confidence in the outgoing chief minister, saying “Delhi has only one CM and his name is Arvind Kejriwal.”
Why did Kejriwal resign The former Delhi CM, who is facing corruption charges, resigned after being released on bail from Tihar Jail on moral grounds. While resigning, he said, “Let the people decide if I am imandaar (honest) or gunahgaar (guilty).” Kejriwal said would only return to office after the people of Delhi determined his “innocence” as each vote in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls would act as a “certificate” of his integrity.
What detractors say Opposition leaders have criticised the party for choosing Atishi as chief minister, with Delhi BJP president Virender Sachdeva saying, “Changing the face does not change AAP’s character.” While AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, who has alleged that she was “assaulted” by Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, criticised her own party’s move, saying: “A woman whose family fought to save terrorist Afzal Guru is being made CM.”
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday congratulated Atishi (43) on being designated Delhi's chief minister, calling her "combative" and 'determined'.
The former UP chief minister said on hand she has to continue public service and on the other face BJP's "negative politics".
Earlier in the day, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unanimously agreed on Atishi's name as the next chief minister of Delhi. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had proposed her name.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav on Tuesday claimed that Arvind Kejriwal has the "stigma of corruption" on him and was "compelled" to resign as chief minister since the top court imposed many conditions for his bail in the excise policy case.
He said Atishi, the chief minister designate, should rise to the occasion to solve the problems of the people of Delhi, particularly women.
The Aam Aadmi Party led by its chief minister designate Atishi staked claim to form a new government in Delhi on Tuesday shortly after Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the post, an effort seen as a bold gambit to seize the initiative ahead of assembly elections due in five months.
Outgoing chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who submitted his resignation letter to Lt Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday, will vacate his official bungalow in north Delhi's Civil Lines within a couple of weeks, a party functionary said.
He said after leaving his official residence, Kejriwal and his family will stay in Delhi. A search for suitable accommodation for them is underway, the party functionary said.
According to rules, Kejriwal has to vacate the official bungalow within a month of his resignation.
While announcing his decision on Sunday to resign as the chief minister of Delhi, Kejriwal accused the BJP of "mudslinging and slandering" him day and night, and asked people to decide whether he was honest or not.
"Congratulations to (Delhi CM-designate) Atishi ji but in this scuffle between BJP and AAP, people of Delhi are suffering. They are not looking out for the benefits of the national capital that is why people are not reminiscing Congress' time," Congress leader Harish Rawat told PTI.
CM-designate Atishi has handed over the letter of support from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to the LG VK Saxena, staking claim to head the government.
Arvind Kejriwal has left for the Raj Bhawan, where he will tender his resignation from the post of Chief Minister.
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Tuesday congratulated AAP leader Atishi on being chosen as the next Delhi chief minister and wished that she would effectively take on dictatorial forces and work towards a developed national capital.
The Aam Aadmi Party unanimously agreed on Tuesday that Atishi will be Delhi's new chief minister after Arvind Kejriwal proposed her name as his successor in a meeting of the party's legislators.
"Many congratulations @AtishiAAP Ji. Wish you would take effectively on dictatorial forces and work towards a developed and dynamic Dilli," Singhvi, a Rajya Sabha MP of the Congress, said in a post on X.
Senior AAP leader Atishi will be Delhi's new chief minister, the party unanimously agreed on Tuesday after Arvind Kejriwal proposed her name as his successor in a meeting of the party's legislators.
The 43-year-old who holds 14 portfolios, including finance, education and revenue and was amongst those holding the fort while Kejriwal was in jail, will be the third woman chief minister of Delhi after Congress' Sheila Dikshit and BJP's Sushma Swaraj.
Kejriwal will meet Lt Governor V K Saxena at Raj Niwas at 4.30 pm to tender his resignation as chief minister, paving the way for Atishi's appointment as his successor.
You can change the face but not the party's character, Delhi BJP president Virender Sachdeva said on Tuesday after the Aam Aadmi Party chose senior leader Atishi as Delhi's new chief minister.
He said the people of Delhi know that Arvind Kejriwal, who proposed her name as his successor, has looted Delhi. "They have indulged in corruption in every department and now the people will give them an answer for that corruption," Sachdeva said.
"Chehara badalane se AAP ka charitra nahi badalega (changing the face does not change AAP's character)... Considering Kejriwal's 10 years of corruption, whoever is the CM will have to tell people how they looted the people of Delhi," Sachdeva alleged.
Reacting to Swati Maliwal’s comments on Atishi’s parents, Aam Aadmi Party chief whip Dilip Pandey said that if Maliwal had any shame she would give up the Rajya Sabha seat given to her by AAP.
“If she has any shame, she should give up the Rajya Sabha seat given to her by AAP. If she wants to be a Rajya Sabha member, she should ask BJP,” he said.
Calling Atishi a “dummy CM”, AAP Rajya Sabha MLA Swati Maliwal said: “Today, a woman whose family fought a long battle to save terrorist Afzal Guru from being hanged is being made the Chief Minister of Delhi.”
Maliwal, in a post on X, said that Atishi’s parents wrote mercy petitions to the Honorable President to save terrorist Afzal Guru.
Calling Atishi a “dummy CM”, AAP Rajya Sabha MLA Swati Maliwal said: “Today, a woman whose family fought a long battle to save terrorist Afzal Guru from being hanged is being made the Chief Minister of Delhi.”
Maliwal, in a post on X, said that Atishi’s parents wrote mercy petitions to the Honorable President to save terrorist Afzal Guru.
“According to them, Afzal Guru was innocent and was framed as part of a political conspiracy. Although Atishi Marlena is just a 'dummy CM', still this issue is related to the security of the country. May God protect Delhi!," she wrote.
Atishi is set to become the new chief minister of Delhi. Commenting on the development, Union Minister Kiren Rijiu said: "The public of Delhi is very troubled by the AAP government and they are regretting it. I would blame Anna Hazare for giving a platform to Arvind Kejriwal because of which the people of Delhi are suffering. He has ruined Delhi after winning the elections by telling lies. Atishi's surname suggests she is a leftist. The family members of Atishi supported Afzal Guru and even criticized the Supreme Court...AAP has ruined Delhi and now they are ruining Punjab. The public of Delhi has made up their mind to remove AAP from power. The public of Delhi has made a big mistake by electing such anarchists. Now they are regretting"
Hours after she was picked by Arvind Kejriwal as his successor, Delhi Minister Atishi said on Tuesday she will run the government under the guidance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and thanked him for trusting her with the “biggest responsibility”. “There is only one CM of Delhi and that is Arvind Kejriwal… Our sole objective will be to make him CM again”.
Atishi is likely to meet Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena later in the day to stake a claim to form the new government. Kejriwal will also meet L-G Saxena at 4.30 pm to tender his resignation.
After the proposal for the new CM is sent to L-G Saxena, he will forward it to President Droupadi Murmu, following which Atishi will assume the charge as the Delhi CM. The oath-taking ceremony will take place in three to four days, said a government official.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Tuesday accused the PM of hatching a political conspiracy against Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders and trying to topple the AAP government in Delhi.
“Prime Minister Modi Ji hatched a very dirty political conspiracy and made false allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders. Sent them to jail. Questioned their integrity. Tried to topple the government,” he wrote on X.
He further said that Atishi who has been chosen by the party MLAs to become the new CM of Delhi has been tasked with two responsibilities, “1) The people of Delhi are deeply hurt by Arvind ji's resignation and Modi ji's conspiracy. Many people are crying and they want Arvind ji to become CM again. Atishi has to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi again along with two crore people of Delhi. And second In the next few months, to trouble the people of Delhi, BJP will try its best to end the facilities given by Kejriwal ji. It is Atishi ji's responsibility to protect the people of Delhi from this terror of BJP,” he wrote.
As Delhi Minister Atishi is set to become the new CM of Delhi, she said that she would take up the responsibility up until the assembly elections are held.
“Par hum logon ka ek hi maksad hai, Kejriwal ji firse mukhyamantri bane (but our main motive is to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM once again),” she said.
She appealed to the people of Delhi and MLA, to vote for Kejriwal and make him win the upcoming polls. "I want to say this on behalf of the people of Delhi and AAP MLAs that Delhi has only one CM and that is Arvind Kejriwal." she said.
In their legislative meeting on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs elected Atishi as their leader, which effectively means she will become the new Chief Minister of Delhi. She is expected to take oath of office this evening. Here is what Atishi said in a press conference today:
-- I want to thank Delhi's popular CM, my guru Arvind Kejriwal for giving me such a huge responsibility. It can happen only in AAP that a first-time politician can become the CM.
-- I come from a normal family. If I would have been in any other party, I won't even have got a poll ticket. However, Arvind Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA, minister and today given me a responsibility to become the CM.
-- I am happy that Arvind Kejriwal has shown so much trust on me, but more than that I am sad because my elder brother Arvind Kejriwal is resigning today. I want to say today on behalf of AAP MLAs and two crore people of Delhi that Delhi has only one CM and his name is Arvind Kejriwal, she said.
After Atishi was elected as the leader of Delhi AAP legislative party Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot said, "Everyone unanimously agreed to the name of Atishi."
On "dummy CM" allegations of the BJP, he says, "It is the job of BJP to level allegations..."
Atishi is expected to take the oath of office at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday, following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.
Atishi is expected to address a press conference shortly. In their legislative meeting on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs elected Atishi as their leader, which effectively means she will become the new Chief Minister of Delhi.
Atishi is expected to take the oath of office at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday, following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.
On Delhi Minister Atishi to be the new Delhi CM, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, "AAP government supports a person who's family tried to stop Afzal Guru's hanging. The people of Delhi will never accept Naxal supporters. AAP wants to show that it treats women as dummies and puppets as Saurabh Bharadwaj had been saying that the new CM would be a puppet CM... The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply to this..."
Atishi initially worked as an advisor to Manish Sisodia in the Education Department. Her stint came to an end in 2018 after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs objected to the Delhi government’s appointment of 10 advisors, saying that proper procedure was not followed.
Atishi, however, continued to remain a key part of the AAP leadership, remaining the go-to person when it came to matters related to the Education Department. She was part of a group in the AAP that worked on policy and its implementation, staying away from active politics.
But all that changed in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the AAP fielded her against Gautam Gambhir of the BJP from East Delhi. She lost but a year later won when the AAP fielded her from Kalkaji for the Delhi Assembly polls.
A Rhodes scholar who studied history at Oxford University, Atishi helped shape and implement several of the changes that the government effected in the city’s schools and classrooms.
The transformation of schools went on to become one of the AAP’s key planks and something it continues to project as one of the things that sets it apart from other parties and governments.
The story of Atishi is that of a steady rise through the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ranks. That culminated on Tuesday, with the AAP deciding to appoint the 43-year-old as the next Chief Minister of Delhi, replacing Arvind Kejriwal who is set to resign later in the day.
With a woman at the helm of the Delhi government, the AAP could be looking at consolidating itself among the women’s constituency that Kejriwal has been assiduously reaching out to.
Atishi will be the third woman to hold the post of the Delhi chief minister after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dixit.
AAP leader Gopal Rai has informed that CM Arvind Kejriwal will go to the Lieutenant Governor's house to tender his resignation today at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. Atishi will also accompany CM to meet LG.
"Atishi will submit the decision of the AAP legislature to the LG today itself. We will think about the new cabinet later," said Rai.
AAP leader Gopal Rai is holding a press conference after Atishi was chosen by the AAP MLAs as their new leader. Here is what he said:
-- Attempts were made to force Arvind Kejriwal to resign from jail, hoping this would lead to the downfall of the Delhi government. However, Kejriwal remained committed to serving Delhi even from behind bars.
-- Arvind Kejriwal has consistently worked with integrity for the people of Delhi, though questions about his honesty have arisen. In light of this, we will seek the mandate of Delhi’s people. Kejriwal will only return to the Chief Minister's chair with their support.
-- We call for early elections, and until the people of Delhi cast their votes and reinstate Kejriwal as Chief Minister, Atishi will assume the role of Acting Chief Minister.
-- The BJP aims to halt the progress made by AAP in Delhi, including the closure of mohalla clinics and the quality education that children are currently receiving.
AAP leader Gopal Rai is holding a press conference after Atishi was chosen by the AAP MLAs as their new leader. Here is what he said:
"The BJP-led central government, along with the BJP party and the Prime Minister, has conspired and misused agencies to undermine and destabilize the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and disrupt the Delhi government. Despite these efforts, AAP has successfully continued its work for the people."
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva today said that Arvind Kejriwal appointed Atishi as Chief Minister under pressure.
"Arvind Kejriwal made her the CM unwillingly. He could not make the CM he wanted because of pressure from Manish Sisodia. She was also given all the departments because of Manish Sisodia. Atishi has been made the CM under his pressure. The face has changed but the corrupt character is as it is and the people of Delhi will ask for answers,” he said.
“Arvind Kejriwal wants to make a puppet/temporary person the chief minister of Delhi. He has no confidence in his party that's why he wants to make someone the CM who is weaker than him in the party. There is an internal power struggle in AAP...The public of Delhi is suffering due to this internal power struggle...In the upcoming elections, it is going to be public versus the AAP and BJP will become the medium of the public of Delhi,” said BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.
In their legislative meeting on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs elected Atishi as their leader, which effectively means she will become the new Chief Minister of Delhi.
Atishi is expected to take the oath of office at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday, following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.
It has been learnt that Arvind Kejriwal has proposed Atishi’s name as his successor. Atishi has been chosen as leader of the AAP Legislative Party.
Delhi Minister Kailash Gehlot has arrived at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence for the AAP legislative meeting.
“MLAs will suggest the name (for next Delhi CM). It will get clear in some time,” he said, speaking to the media.
Speculations are rife that Gahlot is also being considered as a potential CM pick by the party.
Comparing Kejriwal to Lord Ram, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said whoever becomes the CM will be similar to Bharat, who ruled in Lord Ram's absence.
"It does not matter who becomes the CM because the public's mandate is for CM, he is the rightful CM for the next five years. But he will not sit on the seat, till the people give their verdict to him. One of us will become the interim CM, which will be decided in the 11 am meeting today," he said.
Forty-nine days after assuming power, Kejriwal resigned as the CM on February 14, 2014, citing the non-introduction of the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Assembly. Following this, President’s Rule was imposed in Delhi and the House was kept in suspended animation.
Kejriwal unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi against then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and lost by a margin of 3.71 lakh votes.
In the run-up to the 2015 Assembly polls, Kejriwal repeatedly apologised to the people for stepping down, terming his 49-day tie-up with the Congress as an “honest mistake”.
AAP stormed to power in February 2015, winning 67 of the 70 seats, reducing the BJP to 3 seats. The Congress, which lost power nationally months earlier in the national elections, failed to open its account
Delhi minister and AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj has arrived at the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal for the legislative party meeting.
"I have no knowledge, whether it will be someone from the council of ministers or from among the MLAs. But we will let you know. As far as I understand the politics of Arvind Kejriwal, I don't think it will be Sunita Kejriwal. She is not interested,” he said speaking to the media today.
With AAP set to choose a new CM face today, the Delhi Assembly session has been convened on September 26 and 27.
Atishi holds the highest number of portfolios including Education, Finance, Revenue, Law. Recently, the CM had nominated her to hoist the Tricolour on Independence Day in his stead. However, it was rejected and the L-G nominated Gahlot to do so.
A party official said Gopal Rai, who holds the Environment portfolio, can also be a potential pick as he is a senior party member.
“Atishi has a good rapport with officials and knows how to get work done. Similarly, Kailash Gahlot, who has the transport, home and WCD departments under him, is active in party work and meetings. He also gets work done in his departments despite tussles with bureaucrats,” said a party source.
Ruling out the possibility of former deputy chief minister and AAP second-in-command Manish Sisodia taking over, Kejriwal said someone from the AAP will take his place until polls are held. Sisodia said he will go among people along with Kejriwal and seek votes based on honesty, and that he will not hold any post till people give him a clean chit.
Sunday’s surprise announcement by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that he would be resigning in two days generated significant buzz, with speculation rife about who would be his potential successor.
According to party sources, names of ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Kailash Gahlot are doing the rounds.“Someone from the party or a minister will be selected for the post but names of Atishi, Rai and Gahlot are doing the rounds,” sources said.
The AAP Legislative Meeting to decide the new CM is about to begin shortly. Party leaders, including Gopal Rai and Manish Sisodia, have already arrived at Kejriwal's residence.
Aam Aadmi Party’s national speksperson Priyanka Kakkar on Tuesday said that it was because of the BJP that “Arvind Kejriwal has to resign and give agni-pariksha.”
"Name can be of anyone(for the post of Delhi CM)...It is a matter of happiness that Delhi will get a new Chief Minister. But at the same time, we are sad that due to the conspiracies of the BJP Arvind Kejriwal has to give agni-pariksha. We all will make sure that Arvind Kejriwal returns to the Chief Minister's post as soon as possible so that the people of Delhi can continue to get whatever facilities they have been getting,” she said.
As AAP prepares to hold its legislative meeting at Arvind Kejriwal’s residence today to decide the new CM face, the BJP took a jibe at the party saying that the “makeover won’t change anything.”
“AAP can change the faces and do a makeover but their leaders can’t change their habit. This makeover won’t change anything,” says Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva told news agency ANI.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia has arrived at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence for party’s legislative meeting to decide the new CM face.
Delhi minister and AAP MLA Gopal Rai has arrived at the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal for the legislative party meeting.
"Legislative party meeting has been called. CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced that unless the people support him again and make him win, he will not continue as the CM. Until then, the party will choose the CM, and the Government will function under the leadership of that CM...Government will be formed in Delhi under the leadership of CM Kejriwal once again..." he said while speaking to the media.
AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar has arrived at the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal for the legislative party meeting.
"I have no details. Things will be decided in the legislative party meeting. Everything is decided in that meeting,” he said speaking to ANI, on the question of the new CM of Delhi.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, set to resign from the post Tuesday, will vacate the Chief Minister’s bungalow at Civil Lines within a couple of weeks, party sources said Monday.
He lives in the Civil Lines residence with his wife, parents and children. Sources said the party wants the new CM to move in soon.
The bungalow has been the cause of much controversy, with BJP raising questions on the cost of the renovation it underwent in 2020-21 and alleging “procedural irregularities”.
Kejriwal has been living in the Flagstaff Road bungalow since 2015 when he took over as the Chief Minister for the second consecutive time.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to announce the name of a new CM who will replace Arvind Kejriwal at 12 pm on Tuesday.
"The name of the new CM will be announced at noon today after the legislative party meeting," a party functionary was quoted saying by news agency PTI.
" It does not matter who sits on the CM chair because the mandate was for Arvind Kejriwal. The public chose Arvind Kejriwal. He has said that he will not sit on the CM chair until the people ask again but the chair belongs to Arvind Kejriwal for these and the next 5 years... One of us will sit on the chair until the elections take place. It will be similar to the way Bharat ruled in the absence of Lord Ram... There will be a discussion with the MLAs today and the name may be decided in it," said AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday.
The BJP has criticized Kejriwal's decision to resign as Chief Minister, claiming it was motivated by "compulsion" rather than "principle." They have characterized his resignation as "drama" and a "confession of guilt," suggesting it may be a response to internal conflicts within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Names of Delhi ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot and Saurabh Bharadwaj are making the rounds as contenders, party insiders said and added that Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal and Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel were also probables.
A day after being released from Tihar Jail on bail in the alleged excise policy scam, Arvind Kejriwal said that he would resign within 48 hours. He also sought early polls in the national capital.
The AAP convenor said he would not sit in the chief minister's chair till people gave him a "certificate of honesty".
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is likely to meet Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at 4.30 pm and tender his resignation.
The AAP MLAs are set to meet at Kejriwal’s house today for a legislative party meeting at around 11:30 am.
They are expected to announce the name of the new chief minister after the meeting.
The BJP's Delhi president Virender Sachdeva on Monday said AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's decision to resign as chief minister was borne out of "compulsion" and not driven by "principle".
Sachdeva also alleged that none of the Delhi government departments was free of corruption under Kejriwal's rule.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva Monday said the party is ready to contest elections in Delhi as early as October. Challenging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said: “They want elections in November, but why wait that long? Conduct it in October, the BJP is ready,” he said.
This comes a day after Arvind Kejriwal said he would step down as the Chief Minister of Delhi and called for early polls, alongside Maharashtra which is expected to go to polls in November. The Delhi Assembly elections are due in February next year.
Reacting to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation statement, Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Jitu Patwari said on Monday that it was Kejriwal and his party's decision.
"The decision taken by Arvind Kejriwal ji is his and his party's. Everyone has their own perspectives and plans. However, there is a sense of vengeance with which Narendra Modi is operating under the guise of political acumen in the country. This is evident. In a democracy, the Constitution grants everyone the right to express their opinions," Patwari told ANI.
As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal prepares to resign, Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Monday that Kejriwal had a one-on-one discussion with all leaders and ministers during the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting. He added that any comments on the next CM would be speculative.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvindf Kejriwal called a meeting of the PAC, in which all the cabinet ministers and senior party leaders were present.
- The interim CM was discussed.
- Legislative Party to meet on Tuesday to decide on new CM.
AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday held "one on one" meeting with party leaders during the Political Affairs Committee over the name of a new Delhi chief minister.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting was held at Kejriwal's official residence here.
"During the meeting, he (Kejriwal) sought one on one feedback from each leader on his replacement. Tomorrow, the legislative party meeting is there and this discussion will go into the second round," Bharadwaj told reporters after the meeting.
According to party sources, names of ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Kailash Gahlot are doing the rounds. Ruling out the possibility of former deputy chief minister and AAP second-in-command Manish Sisodia taking over, Kejriwal said someone from the AAP will take his place until polls are held.
A meeting of AAP MLAs will take place at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence tomorrow at 11.30 am. Kejriwal will be meeting Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena tomorrow at 4.30 pm and is likely to tender his resignation then.
Aam Aadmi Party’s meeting at the residence of Arvind Kejriwal has kicked off with senior leaders Manish Sisodia, Kailash Gehlot, Atishi and others seen arriving. Kejriwal will be meeting Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena tomorrow at 4.30 pm and is likely to tender his resignation then.
Reacting to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal offering to resign, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said: “The courts have time and again found that CM Arvind Kejriwal received kickbacks of Rs 90-100 crore in the liquor scam, which he used for Aam Aadmi Party activities in the Goa (Assembly) polls. The Supreme Court did not consider him worthy of signing any files or visiting the CM office after looking at his involvement in the scam. It seems like a political pretence has been made by him, putting a veil of morality on the compulsion of the bail condition.”
When asked about who the next chief minister would be, AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said: “The next Chief Minister of Delhi will be decided in the next 1-2 days. There will be a meeting of the legislative party in which a leader will be selected... Arvind Kejriwal is not attracted to power, he loves his honour the most.”
Speaking about the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, he added: “Recently, there was a meeting of in-charges in which the campaign for Haryana Assembly elections was discussed. Now the campaign will be conducted by going from village to village.”
Delhi ministers Atishi and Kailash Gehlot arrived at the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the Aam Aadmi Party said that he would be meeting L-G Saxena tomorrow at 4.30 pm to tender his resignation.
Some call him the master of the political spectacle, others envy his political reflexes that were again on display Sunday. In an unexpected move, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that he would resign in “48 hours”, catching friends and foes off guard, writes senior journalist Neerja Chowdhury. Read More
Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Press Club, junior doctors said, "We are hoping to attend the meeting with the chief minister." Stay tuned for more updates.
Congress' Sandeep Dikshit on Monday criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation announcement, calling the decision more about business than politics.
"The problem with Kejriwal is that if he hands over the power to someone who will start opening his files, hands over to someone who will stop the flow of money, then he will be ruined. This is not a normal transaction; this is a business deal, the shares are being transferred. No sacrifice to anyone else," he said.
Dikshit who has been a staunch critic of the Delhi CM also described the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an "industry of business." "Sometimes they deal in black money, sometimes in white money, sometimes in liquor business, sometimes in bus business. So it takes time in business; you must have seen that the chairman is changed. Talks are held with the shareholders and the transfer is done. Now you consider this as a normal spirit of service," Dikshit said.
After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought time for a meeting with Lt Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday, Saxena agreed to meet with the CM at 4.30 pm On Tuesday as per L-G House officials.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought time for a meeting with Lt Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday and is likely to tender his resignation, AAP said.
The AAP supremo had said he would become chief minister and Manish Sisodia his deputy "only when people say we are honest".
"The chief minister has sought time from Saxena for a meeting on Tuesday. He is likely to tender his resignation," the party said on Monday.
Days after being released from Tihar jail on bail in the excise policy case, the AAP national convenor said on Sunday that he would resign within 48 hours and sought early polls in Delhi. He vowed not to sit in the chief minister's chair till people gave him a "certificate of honesty".
He had said he would hold a meeting of AAP MLAs in a couple of days and a party leader would take over as chief minister. PTI
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