After being picked as the next chief minister, Atishi said that Delhi has only one chief minister and it is Arvind Kejriwal. She urged the AAP supporters to refrain from congratulating and garlanding her as she said it was a somber moment as Kejriwal was stepping down as chief minister. Atishi said now her only aim was to ensure Kejriwal returns as chief minister after the next elections, which is due in February 2025.
"People of Delhi, AAP MLAs and I - as the CM for a few months till elections, will work with just one goal. We have to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi once again. As long as I am shouldering this huge responsibility, I will have just one goal...I will try to protect the people of Delhi and run the Government under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal," she said in her first remark after being named as the next chief minister.
"I would like to thank the popular CM of Delhi, AAP national convener and my guru - Arvind Kejriwal. He gave me such a huge responsibility and trusted me for it. This can be done only in AAP, only under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, that a first-time politician becomes the CM of a state," she said.
"I come from an ordinary family. Had I been in any other party, perhaps I would not have been given even an election ticket. But Arvind Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA and a minister and today gave me the responsibility of the CM. I am happy that Arvind Kejriwal placed such trust in me. But I am also sad because Delhi CM and my elder brother, Arvind Kejriwal is resigning today. On behalf of all AAP MLAs and the 2 crore people of Delhi, I would like to say that there is just one CM of Delhi - Arvind Kejriwal," Atishi added.
Earlier today, the AAP, the lone woman minister in the Delhi Cabinet, picked Atishi as Kejriwal's successor. Delhi Minister Gopal Rai said she will be the chief minister till the next elections. Rai said at 4.30 pm, Kejriwal will go to the Lt Governor to tender his resignation. After that, the legislative party will stake the claim to form the government.
Atishi, who holds the maximum portfolios including finance and education in the AAP government, will take over from the party chief with just months left for the Delhi Assembly election. The Kalkaji MLA was the frontrunner for the top job as she had assumed a central role in the party after the arrest of Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case.