New Delhi: AAP leader Atishi on Tuesday thanked his "guru" Arvind Kejriwal for giving him the "huge responsibility" of succeeding him as Delhi chief minister and said he would work under his "leadership" to protect the interests of the people from BJP's obstructions.
She would be Delhi's third chief minister after Sheila Dikshit of the Congress and Sushma Swaraj of the BJP.
Hours after being unanimously elected to become Delhi Chief Minister, she said it was a moment mixed with joy and "extreme sadness" that Kejirwal, the popular CM, was stepping down.
Kejriwal proposed Atishi's name at the legislative party meeting at her residence and it was unanimously supported by AAP MLAs.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Atishi said that over the next few months she would work to ensure that Kejriwal returns as chief minister after the Delhi Assembly elections.
Elections in Delhi are scheduled for February next year, but Kejriwal has demanded that the assembly elections in the national capital be held in November with Maharashtra.
The AAP national coordinator, who was released on bail from Tihar jail last Friday in the excise policy scam case, on Sunday announced that he would resign as Delhi chief minister after two days and promised not sit in CM's chair until people gave him a "certificate of honesty".
"It is a moment of extreme sadness for me and the people that the popular chief minister of Delhi is resigning," Atishi said on Tuesday, urging party leaders and workers not to congratulate or adorn her.
Atishi, who currently holds multiple portfolios in the Delhi government, thanked her "guru" Ella Kejriwal for showing confidence in her and giving her the "huge responsibility" of being the new chief minister.
"It is only possible in the Aam Aadmi Party and under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal for a first-time politician to become prime minister. I come from a normal family and perhaps I would not even get an electoral ticket if I were in any other party," he said. .
Atishi said Kejriwal trusted her and made her an MLA, then a minister and now the chief minister of Delhi.
Claiming that Kejriwal is the "only chief minister" in Delhi, he alleged that the BJP harassed him and hatched conspiracies against him in the last two years, filed corruption charges against him, got a "false" case registered and He remained in prison for six years. months.
Praising the AAP supremo, Atishi said Kejriwal, by deciding not to sit in the prime minister's chair until the people declare him honest, has done something that no other leader, not only in the country but also in the world, could do. do.
"There would be no other example of such sacrifice in the history of the country's democracy," she said.
The people of Delhi are angry with the BJP's "conspiracy" and want to reappoint Kejriwal as chief minister, Atishi said. "They know that if an honest person is not the chief minister of Delhi, free electricity, education, health services, bus travel for women, pilgrimages for the elderly and mohalla clinics would be shut down."
She alleged that the BJP, "through the LG", would try to obstruct free services like electricity, free medicines in hospitals, mohalla clinics and "ruin" government schools.
"Over the next few months, as long as I have this responsibility, I will try to protect the people of Delhi and run the government under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal," she said, exuding confidence that the people would soon have Kejriwal as president again. her prime minister after the election.
She would be Delhi's third chief minister after Sheila Dikshit of the Congress and Sushma Swaraj of the BJP.
Hours after being unanimously elected to become Delhi Chief Minister, she said it was a moment mixed with joy and "extreme sadness" that Kejirwal, the popular CM, was stepping down.
Kejriwal proposed Atishi's name at the legislative party meeting at her residence and it was unanimously supported by AAP MLAs.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Atishi said that over the next few months she would work to ensure that Kejriwal returns as chief minister after the Delhi Assembly elections.
Elections in Delhi are scheduled for February next year, but Kejriwal has demanded that the assembly elections in the national capital be held in November with Maharashtra.
The AAP national coordinator, who was released on bail from Tihar jail last Friday in the excise policy scam case, on Sunday announced that he would resign as Delhi chief minister after two days and promised not sit in CM's chair until people gave him a "certificate of honesty".
"It is a moment of extreme sadness for me and the people that the popular chief minister of Delhi is resigning," Atishi said on Tuesday, urging party leaders and workers not to congratulate or adorn her.
Atishi, who currently holds multiple portfolios in the Delhi government, thanked her "guru" Ella Kejriwal for showing confidence in her and giving her the "huge responsibility" of being the new chief minister.
"It is only possible in the Aam Aadmi Party and under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal for a first-time politician to become prime minister. I come from a normal family and perhaps I would not even get an electoral ticket if I were in any other party," he said. .
Atishi said Kejriwal trusted her and made her an MLA, then a minister and now the chief minister of Delhi.
Claiming that Kejriwal is the "only chief minister" in Delhi, he alleged that the BJP harassed him and hatched conspiracies against him in the last two years, filed corruption charges against him, got a "false" case registered and He remained in prison for six years. months.
Praising the AAP supremo, Atishi said Kejriwal, by deciding not to sit in the prime minister's chair until the people declare him honest, has done something that no other leader, not only in the country but also in the world, could do. do.
"There would be no other example of such sacrifice in the history of the country's democracy," she said.
The people of Delhi are angry with the BJP's "conspiracy" and want to reappoint Kejriwal as chief minister, Atishi said. "They know that if an honest person is not the chief minister of Delhi, free electricity, education, health services, bus travel for women, pilgrimages for the elderly and mohalla clinics would be shut down."
She alleged that the BJP, "through the LG", would try to obstruct free services like electricity, free medicines in hospitals, mohalla clinics and "ruin" government schools.
"Over the next few months, as long as I have this responsibility, I will try to protect the people of Delhi and run the government under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal," she said, exuding confidence that the people would soon have Kejriwal as president again. her prime minister after the election.