Atishi to be new chief minister of India’s capital territory Delhi

Delhi minister Atishi will take over as the new chief minister of India’s national capital territory after the resignation of incumbent Arvind Kejriwal, says the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The announcement was made by AAP chief Kejriwal during a meeting with his party’s legislators in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Atishi, 43, is a prominent member of the decade-old party, which quickly rose to mainstream politics, although its clout is relatively small compared to older opposition parties in India. She has held several portfolios in the city government, including finance and education.

Kejriwal, 55, on Monday said he will resign as chief minister of Delhi, a day after his release from prison on bail in a corruption case.

“Today I have come to ask the public whether you consider Kejriwal honest or a criminal… I will resign from the post of CM [chief minister] two days from today and ask people whether I am honest,” he said on Sunday.

A fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal, 55, is a former anti-corruption crusader whose decade-old AAP quickly rose to mainstream politics, although its clout is relatively small compared to older opposition parties. He had served as Delhi’s chief minister since 2015.

On Friday, he was granted bail by India’s Supreme Court and he left the prison the next day, six months after being detained in relation to alleged irregularities in the capital city’s liquor policy.

More to come…