Arvind Kejriwal resignation highlights: My aim is to make Arvind Kejriwal chief minister again, says Atishi

"...This resignation is delayed. Delhi has been without a CM for the last 6 months. It is visible that ego is bigger for Arvind Kejriwal...Now when all of his ways were closed then he decided to bring Atishi as CM. All of this is just a drama to put a blindfold on the eyes of Delhi's people...Delhi is in a bad situation. For 15 years, Congress destroyed Delhi and AAP worsened the situation in the last 10 years...If you want to conduct the elections in 1 month, the BJP is ready for it," says BJP leader Manoj Tiwari.

As per BJP leader and ex-AAP member Shazia Ilmi, Atishi is a ‘safe bet’ for the Kejriwal-led outfit. "I think Atishi was a safe bet for them. This is another of Arvind Kejriwal's tactics. He could have done this five months ago," she said.

The BJP has conspired against Arvind Kejriwal since the past two years. Till I hold this chair, my only objective is to defend the party against BJP's conspiracies, says Atishi.

Delhi minister Atishi expresses gratitude to Arvind Kejriwal for the opportunity to become Delhi's chief minister, emphasising that only AAP offers such a chance to first-time politicians.

"The decision taken by Arvind Kejriwal is one of its kind in the democratic history of the world. He said the Supreme Court verdict is not enough for him, he wants to know the verdict of the people of Delhi, and that he will sit on the CM chair only when the public says that he is honest. Today, he resigned; this is a sad moment for people of Delhi, our party and MLAs... The AAP and people of Delhi have joined the campaign to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi once again. But till then, Arvind Kejriwal has reposed faith on me," says Atishi.

"Arvind Kejriwal has pushed Delhi to anarchy after announcing Atishi Marlena's name. There's a reason behind it... A mercy petition was submitted to the President for Afzal Guru and her parents signed it. Now, in Delhi, not just a corrupt government, but an anti-national government will operate," says Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Monday criticized AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for stepping down as Chief Minister, saying his resignation cannot make up for the damage done to Delhi.

"If he resigns, that's fine. But even if he doesn’t, what’s left of Delhi? He has worsened the situation in the national capital, and his resignation can't undo the harm," Tiwari told IANS. Tiwari accused Kejriwal of causing widespread problems for the city.

AAP leaders submit letter of support for Atishi.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday criticized the appointment of AAP leader Atishi as Delhi’s next CM, calling her a "figurehead" while asserting that Arvind Kejriwal would continue to control the government from behind the scenes. "First of all, I congratulate her for being appointed as the next CM of the national capital, but we all know the remote control of Atishi will be in the hands of Arvind Kejriwal. He will run the Delhi government from behind," Chandrasekhar said as quoted by IANS

"Today, to all the people of Delhi, this is an appeal to make your son, your brother, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi again... because he is a honest man," Astishi said, "Citizens, AAP MLAs, and I will work towards only one objective - to make Arvind Kejriwal Chief Minister once again."

It was decided that Atishi will fulfil the responsibilities of CM till the time of the election and will work to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi again, says Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai.

"As per my understanding, whenever a CM is changed, the entire cabinet is dissolved; so it is obvious...It is not important that who is the new CM. What is important is that Arvind Kejriwal has resigned and we have accepted this with a heavy heart...We had to elect a CM, so as a temporary measure, Atishi has been given this responsibility for a few months. She is very capable. Now, the responsibility is to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM once again. Arvind Kejriwal had made it clear that this blot had been put on him and until he passes the 'agnipariksha' and people call him innocent, he won't accept this position..." says AAP MP Sandeep Pathak.

We congratulate Atishi ji on becoming the new Delhi CM, she has got this opportunity in a very short time. Meanwhile, this is a very daunting task for her, and I hopeful that she will address people's issues, says Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav.

BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, taking a dig at AAP, stated, "Many congratulations to Atishi for being the new CM. We will support her in the development of Delhi. We hope that she will use our experience also for the benefit of Delhi. The condition of Delhi is very bad. People don't have drinking water, the roads are broken,...our public transport system has collapsed... I hope that these problems will be solved when Atishi becomes the CM..."

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal launched a scathing attack on Atishi's appointment. She took to microblogging site X, posting a video message, stating, "This is an extremely unfortunate day for Delhi. A woman like Atishi is going to become the CM of Delhi, whose own family fought a long battle to save terrorist Afzal Guru from death penalty. Her parents wrote mercy petitions to the President several times, that he is innocent, that he should not be hanged, that he is a victim of political conspiracy. How wrong is this? Today, Atishi will become the CM but we all know that she will be only a "dummy CM". Still, this is a major issue because she will be the CM and this matter is directly linked to the security of the country as well as Delhi. God save the people of Delhi from such a CM".

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla, interacting with the press today, stated, "Unfortunately, first Delhi had a 'jailwala' CM who ran the government from jail, and became the 'bailwala' CM later. Now there will be a dummy CM. The word 'dummy CM' is not mine, it is of Saurabh Bharadwaj and Somnath Bharti... The AAP party has been saying that the new CM will be a 'Khadau' CM, a stopgap arrangement for Arvind Kejriwal, and a night watchman CM. You made a woman CM but she is a proxy and a dummy CM also. The face has changed but will the character of this government change?... There have been scams in all departments held by Atishi... The new person on the CM chair would be someone whose family advocated for Afzal Guru... AAP and Atishi must clarify if they agree with such thoughts or not..."

Reacting to the leadership shift in AAP, Union Minister Kiren Rijiu said, "The public of Delhi is very troubled by the AAP government and they are regretting it. I would blame Anna Hazare for giving a platform to Arvind Kejriwal because of which the people of Delhi are suffering. He has ruined Delhi after winning the elections by telling lies. Atishi's surname suggests she is a leftist. The family members of Atishi supported Afzal Guru and even criticized the Supreme Court...AAP has ruined Delhi and now they are ruining Punjab. The public of Delhi has made up their mind to remove AAP from power. The public of Delhi has made a big mistake by electing such anarchists. Now they are regretting".

Delhi LG VK Saxena, interacting with the press today, stated, "The CM (Arvind Kejriwal) is going to meet me at 4.30 pm and he is welcome. Atishi's name has been recommended. It is a legislative process. She has been chosen by the MLAs. She is also welcome..."

Atishi further stated, "People of Delhi, AAP MLAs and I - as the CM for a few months till elections, will work with just one goal. We have to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi once again. As long as I am shouldering this huge responsibility, I will have just one goal...I will try to protect the people of Delhi and run the Government under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal."

Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot, interacting with the press, stated, "Everyone unanimously agreed to the name of Atishi". Responding to the BJP's "dummy CM" allegations, he remarked, "It is the job of BJP to level allegations..."

"The BJP and its government conspired to dismantle the Aam Aadmi Party by misusing investigative agencies. However, AAP showcased its unity and thwarted all such attempts," said Gopal Rai.

BJP leader Harish Khurana, taking a dig at the leadership shift in AAP, said, "I congratulate dummy CM Atishi. Even after this, the situation in Delhi will not change. Corruption will remain at its peak. I challenge Atishi to recommend early elections."

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, commenting on the leadership shift in AAP, said today, "AAP government supports a person whose family tried to stop Afzal Guru's hanging. The people of Delhi will never accept Naxal supporters. AAP wants to show that it treats women as dummies and puppets as Saurabh Bharadwaj had been saying that the new CM would be a puppet CM... The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply to this..."

Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai, addressing the press this afternoon, further noted, "When Arvind Kejriwal decided to resign, legislative party meeting was held today. In the meeting it was unanimously decided that until the next elections, which we want to be held around October-November at the earliest, and people make Arvind Kejriwal the Delhi CM with a thumping majority, Atishi would carry out the responsibilities as the new CM".

Atishi, the MLA from Kalkaji, holds several key portfolios in the Kejriwal-led government, including finance, education, Public Works Department, power, revenue, law, planning, services, information and publicity, and vigilance. With her reputation for having a clean image, Atishi could resonate strongly with women voters in New Delhi, a critical demographic ahead of the elections early next year.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari commented, "Arvind Kejriwal wants to make a puppet/temporary person the chief minister of Delhi. He has no confidence in his party that's why he wants to make someone the CM who is weaker than him in the party. There is an internal power struggle in AAP...The public of Delhi is suffering due to this internal power struggle...In the upcoming elections, it is going to be public versus the AAP and BJP will become the medium of the public of Delhi..."

Commenting on Atishi being named as the new Delhi Chief Minister, Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva, in an interaction with the press today, said, "Arvind Kejriwal has named her the chrief ministe unwillingly. He could not make the CM he wanted because of pressure from Manish Sisodia. She was also given all the departments because of Manish Sisodia. Atishi has been made the CM under his pressure. The face has changed but the corrupt character is as it is and the people of Delhi will ask for answers".

Atishi assuming office as the Chief Minister will indeed make her the second woman to hold this position in Delhi, following Sheila Dikshit.

Atishi has been named the new Chief Minister of Delhi following a legislative party meeting chaired by Arvind Kejriwal at his residence earlier today. Kejriwal is set to resign later today and will meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at 4:30 pm to formalise the transition.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar has, meanwhile, slammed the BJP, attributing Kejriwal's resignation to the party's alleged conspiracies. She stated that while the party is open to any candidate for the chief minister's role, it is disheartening that Kejriwal is undergoing this "agni-pariksha" (trial by fire) due to BJP's actions.

"Name can be of anyone (for the post of Delhi CM). It is a matter of happiness that Delhi will get a new Chief Minister. But at the same time, we are sad that due to the conspiracies of the BJP Arvind Kejriwal has to give agni-pariksha. We all will make sure that Arvind Kejriwal returns to the Chief Minister’s post as soon as possible so that the people of Delhi can continue to get whatever facilities they have been getting," noted Kakkar.

Ruling out former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia as a potential successor, Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday confirmed that a new AAP member will take over his position until the upcoming elections. Sisodia has pledged to campaign alongside Kejriwal, focusing on their commitment to honesty, and stated that he will not accept any official role until he is cleared by the public.

With AAP preparing to select a new Chief Minister candidate today, the Delhi Assembly session has been scheduled for September 26 and 27.

Further commenting Saurabh Bharadwaj also stated, "Arvind Kejriwal has said he will not occupy the chief minister’s chair until the people ask for him again, but the chair rightfully belongs to him for these and the next five years. Until the next elections, one of us will occupy the position, akin to how Bharat ruled in Lord Ram’s absence in the Ramayana. A discussion with the MLAs will take place today to decide the name for the interim period."

Following Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement of his resignation as Delhi Chief Minister, social activist Anna Hazare has once again urged Kejriwal to reconsider his involvement in politics. Hazare noted that Kejriwal had previously ignored his counsel, and now the situation has unfolded as he had predicted.

“I told him since the beginning that you should not join politics but serve the people. We have worked together for many years and told him the same thing. He never listened to me and today what had to happen has happened,” stated Hazare.

As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal prepares to step down, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) insiders are suggesting several names as potential successors. Among the frontrunners are Delhi ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Additionally, there is speculation that Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, and Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel could also be in contention.

Reacting to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's statement about resigning, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri remarked, "He was locked up for around 145 days... Why didn’t he resign earlier or during those 145 days? If you want to resign, just do it… don’t act like it’s something special."

Puri further highlighted the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court's bail conditions, noting that Kejriwal cannot return to his office or sign official documents, saying, "This is a serious corruption case against him, and he will still have to answer for it." He also criticised Kejriwal's past political stance, recalling how he once protested with Anna Hazare against Congress but later allied with them.

Following Kejriwal’s announcement of his resignation as Delhi Chief Minister, the BJP criticised the move as a "PR stunt." BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari claimed Kejriwal’s decision was an effort to repair his image among voters who now perceive him as “corrupt.”

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit also condemned the resignation, calling it a “gimmick.” He questioned the legitimacy of a leader who, after being released on bail and under Supreme Court orders to refrain from official duties, announces such a resignation.

The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party), this morning, stated, "Party to announce the name of new CM of Delhi at 12 noon today after legislative party meeting".

Delhi minister and AAP MLA Gopal Rai arrived at the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal for the legislative party meeting this morning.

He said, "Legislative party meeting has been called. CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will not continue as the CM unless the people support him again and make him win. Until then the party will choose the CM and the Government will function under the leadership of that CM...Government will be formed in Delhi under the leadership of CM Kejriwal once again.".

Ahead of Kejriwal's expected resignation today, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that the chair belongs to Kejriwal.

In a media briefing, Bharadwaj noted that one of the party’s members will occupy the position until the upcoming elections in Delhi. “It does not matter who sits on the chief minister’s chair, because the mandate was for Arvind Kejriwal. The public chose Arvind Kejriwal,” he stated.