Delhi news: Delhi Chief Minister-designate Atishi and her cabinet will take the oath of office on September 21, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said today. The ruling party had initially decided that only Atishi would be sworn in, however, it was later determined that her council of ministers would also take the oath. Atishi will take oath with five Cabinet ministers on Saturday.
Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the Delhi chief minister on Tuesday, after which Atishi staked claim to form a new government in the national capital.
Ministers of Atishi Cabinet:
- Atishi-Chief Minister
- Saurabh Bhardwaj
- Kailash Gahlot
- Gopal Rai
- Imran Hussain
- Mukesh Ahlawat (new entry in the cabinet)
One minister's position will remain vacant.
Who is Mukesh Ahlawat?
Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat is the MLA from the Sultanpur Majra Assembly constituency. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls, Ahlawat won the seat for the first time by defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Ram Chander Chawriya with a margin of 48,052 votes.
Ahlawat secured 74,573 votes with a vote percentage of 66.51%, while BJP candidate Ram Chander Chawriya stood second with 26,521 votes.
Mukesh Ahlawat will become a minister in the Delhi government from the SC-ST quota. Four ministers will remain the same.
Delhi L-G on Atishi's swearing-in-ceremony
Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday (September 18) proposed September 21 for the swearing-in of Chief Minister-designate Atishi following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal from the post. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said Kejriwal will also give up security and move out of the chief minister's residence in 15 days to live like a commoner.
Atishi to take oath at Raj Niwas
The oath ceremony of the new chief minister is likely to be held at Raj Niwas and expected to be a low-key affair in view of the circumstances of Kejriwal's resignation. According to an AAP functionary, Atishi herself has said it was an extremely sad moment and urged party leaders and workers not to congratulate her.
A source in the LG Secretariat said that Saxena in a communication to President Droupadi Murmu proposed September 21 as the date for the swearing-in of CM-designate Atishi.
The source said outgoing chief minister Kejriwal's resignation letter has also been moved to Murmu.
The development takes place a day after Atishi in a meeting with the LG staked claim to form the new government in the national capital after Kejriwal resigned from the CM's post.
