From activist to CM post… ‘Aatishi’s’ innings in politics of Delhi’s new Chief Minister

New Delhi: After Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation, the Union Territory of Delhi is going to get a new Chief Minister today. Atishi will take oath as Delhi’s Chief Minister in a program organized at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat. Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi will be the third woman leader to sit on the seat of Delhi’s Chief Minister after Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sushma Swaraj and Congress’ Sheila Dixit. Before Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation, Atishi was elected as the new leader in the Aam Aadmi Party Legislature Party meeting.

Aatishi, who comes from a Punjabi Rajput family, is a post graduate from Oxford University. Born on 8 June 1981, Atishi’s father Vijay Singh has been a professor at Delhi University. After completing her schooling from New Delhi’s Springdale School, Atishi did her graduation from St. Stephen’s College and after that she went to Oxford University to do her post graduation on Chevening Scholarship. Atishi also obtained a second master’s degree as a Rhodes Scholar in educational research from Oxford University.

She has been a social activist
Atishi was inclined towards social work. After studying from Oxford, she started working as a social activist and lived in a small village in Madhya Pradesh for seven years. During this period, she worked on organic farming and progressive education system. Atishi has also been active as a social activist in Varanasi. She worked with many NGOs and joined Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption while being a social activist and then has been associated with the Aam Aadmi Party since its inception.

Played important responsibilities in AAP
Atishi played many important responsibilities in the Aam Aadmi Party. She was also a member of the manifesto drafting committee that prepared the first manifesto of the Aam Aadmi Party, which made its electoral debut in 2013, and played an important role in shaping the party’s policies in the initial days. As a spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party, Atishi also strongly presented the party’s side on major platforms. She is not only counted among the trusted leaders of CM Kejriwal, she is also considered close to Manish Sisodia. Atishi worked as an advisor to Manish Sisodia in the education department from July 2015 to April 2018. She was involved in the Khandwa Jal Satyagraha of 2015 and also fought legal battles. In the 2020 Goa elections, the Aam Aadmi Party also entrusted her with the responsibility of the state in-charge, where the party was successful in winning two seats.

Became MLA for the first time in 2020
Aatishi had already stepped into electoral politics, but she was elected MLA for the first time in 2020. Atishi reached the assembly by winning the election from Kalkaji assembly seat in the 2020 Delhi elections. In 2023, Atishi got a place in the Kejriwal cabinet for the first time and she was also given the responsibility of the education department for which she had worked with Manish Sisodia as an advisor. Kejriwal, while in jail, had proposed Atishi’s name to LG for hoisting the flag on Independence Day about a month ago. However, LG had entrusted this responsibility to Kailash Gehlot.

The heaviest minister in Kejriwal cabinet
Aatishi was the heaviest minister in Kejriwal cabinet. Atishi, who took oath as a minister of Delhi government on 9 March 2023, was given heavy departments like Education, Public Works, Revenue, Water, Finance and Planning by CM Kejriwal. About 18 months after being made a minister for the first time, Atishi is now going to become the CM of Delhi.