Kejriwal steps down; Atishi to become Delhi's youngest and third woman CM

The political landscape of Delhi has shifted dramatically with Arvind Kejriwal's resignation as Chief Minister, paving the way for Atishi to assume the role.

Atishi, currently the Minister for Education, Finance, and several other crucial departments, is set to become Delhi's third woman Chief Minister, following Congress' Sheila Dikshit and BJP's Sushma Swaraj.

This transition comes in the wake of Kejriwal's recent imprisonment and subsequent surprise resignation.

Kejriwal submitted his resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday. The development followed a dramatic series of events, including Kejriwal's sixmonth imprisonment on corruption charges related to the excise policy, which he and his party have vehemently denounced as politically motivated.

Kejriwal announced his resignation in a bid to call for early Assembly elections, asserting that "the people of Delhi should decide if the AAP government is an honest government." In his resignation letter to the L-G, Kejriwal called for an early Assembly election, reflecting his belief in a transparent and democratic process. The AAP has requested that the elections be scheduled for October-November 2024, allowing ample time for campaign preparation.

Atishi, a prominent figure in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and a close confidant of Kejriwal was unanimously elected by AAP legislators to succeed him. At 43, she will become Delhi's youngest Chief Minister and the third woman to hold the position.

Later in the evening, Atishi met L-G and staked a claim to form the government after being elected the leader of the AAP legislature party.