Call of duty

AAP’s future in Delhi depends on how Atishi navigates the complexities of her role as CM

- MOHIT SHARMA

ATISHI HELD HER first meeting with the bureaucrats of Delhi on September 24, three days after taking charge as the youngest chief minister of the state. It ended on a 'cordial' note, a departure from the regular confrontations with officials whom her party has been accusing of insubordination at the behest of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena and the BJP.

What she said after the meeting took many by surprise. “As a government, it is our duty to ensure that government services reach even the last person in line, and that the government lives up to their expectations. The Delhi government and officials will work together to ensure that every person in need receives government services and can live with dignity.”

The “work together” paradigm has long eluded Delhi, especially in the past two years. The bitter battles over issues of governance between the government and the bureaucracy have been a constant. The discord hit its lowest with the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in the liquor policy case.