'This drama must stop': BJP slams Atishi for keeping Chief Minister’s chair empty
- In Reports
- 10:43 PM, Sep 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
On September 21, Atishi was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi, officially assuming her duties the following Monday. Notably, she chose not to occupy the seat of her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal, leaving it vacant as a mark of respect for setting an example of political dignity by stepping down. Instead, she opted for a different chair. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized this gesture, dismissing it as mere “drama.”
“I will work for four months as the Chief Minister of Delhi like Bharat (in Ramayana) did by keeping Lord Ram’s Khadaun (wooden slipper) on the throne. Arvind Kejriwal has set an example of dignity in politics by stepping down. The BJP left no stone unturned to tarnish his image,” Atishi said after taking charge.
“Hope people will bring back Kejriwal in February polls, his chair will remain in the Chief Minister’s office till then,” she said.
Meanwhile, the BJP slammed Atishi’s act and said “The drama should stop”.
In an X post, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya wrote, “This drama in Delhi must stop. Today Atishi Marlena took charge by placing an empty chair next to her Chief Minister’s chair. That means Atishi is the Manmohan Singh of the Delhi government and the real Chief Minister is Arvind Kejriwal, whom the Supreme Court has stopped from going to the Delhi Secretariat, let alone signing files.”
“This is a mockery of the constitution made by Baba Saheb. The oath of office and secrecy of the Chief Minister was taken by Atishi, not by the ghost of Kejriwal sitting on an empty chair,” a rough translation of Malviya’s post in Hindi suggested.
In a video, BJP’s Shehzad Poonawala also referred to Atishi as the “new Manmohan Singh” of Delhi.
The Delhi Assembly’s session will be held on September 26 and 27.
Atishi has retained the 13 portfolios she previously held in the Kejriwal government, including key departments such as education, revenue, finance, power, and PWD.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj holds eight departments, the second-highest after Atishi, including health, tourism, and art and culture.
Newly appointed cabinet member Mukesh Ahlawat has been assigned the portfolios of labour, SC/ST, employment, and land and building departments. Gopal Rai continues to oversee the same portfolios he held under the Kejriwal administration, including development, general administration, environment, and forest. Similarly, Kailash Gahlot retains his previous portfolios, which include transport, home, administrative reforms, and women and child development.
The new cabinet, led by Atishi, faces a significant backlog of pending projects and schemes, alongside several new initiatives slated for launch in the coming months. With Delhi’s elections approaching in February next year, the government is under pressure to implement these plans promptly.
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