Academic, unlikely politician Atishi weathers the BJP storm

Delhi CM Atishi

When she assumed office as chief minister last year, Atishi kept the chair used by AAP convenor and her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal empty in her office "waiting for him" and was dubbed as a "temporary CM" by some.

On Saturday, as the Delhi Assembly poll results trickled in and AAP's big guns including Kejriwal lost one by one, Atishi was among the few party leaders who held their own and will now raise the party's voice in the BJP-majority assembly.

Atishi retained Kalkaji seat, defeating her BJP rival and former MP Ramesh Bidhuri by a margin of 3,521 seats. It was a tough fight with Bidhuri leading in the initial rounds of counting.

The election campaign for Kalkaji saw a series of bitter exchanges between the two. Bidhuri's remarks targeting Atishi over her decision to change her surname from "Marlena" to "Singh" stirred a controversy.

While responding to Bidhuri, Atishi broke down at a press conference and accused him of seeking votes by "abusing" her elderly father.

The controversy seems to have worked in her favour.

Atishi was born to Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, both of whom taught at Delhi University. After completing her schooling from Springdales School, Delhi, she attended graduated in history from Delhi University's St. Stephen's College in 2001 and later attended Oxford University.

Her win is likely to cement her position in the AAP where she has steadily risen through the ranks.

In 2015, Atishi was appointed as advisor to then education minister Manish Sisodia. She was closely involved in the AAP government's efforts to revamp the education system and tackling infrastructure challenges.

She was also a party spokesperson and a member of its Political Affairs Committee.

In 2019, she unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections against BJP's Gautam Gambhir from East Delhi seat. In the Delhi polls next year, she won Kalkaji assembly seat.

She juggled multiple portfolios as cabinet minister.

Atishi steered the AAP through its biggest crisis last year when almost all top party leaders, including then chief minister Kejriwal, were behind bars in corruption cases.

Amid growing opposition pressure for his resignation, Kejriwal announced in September last year that he would pass the baton to Atishi.

On September 21, 2024, Atishi took oath as the eighth and youngest chief minister of Delhi at 43 -- the third woman to hold the position.

Last year, she declared a net worth of Rs 76.93 lakh, with no car or house in her name.