Atishi Resigns as Delhi CM, Assembly Dissolved After AAP Loss

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. Atishi resigned as Delhi Chief Minister following AAP’s defeat.
2. Atishi submitted her resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
3. The Delhi Assembly has been dissolved.
4. The BJP won 48 out of 70 seats in the Assembly elections.
5. BJP begins deliberations to select the next Chief Minister.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi submitted her resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday, a day after her party, AAP, faced a crushing defeat in the national capital, with the BJP returning to power with 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly. The resignation marks the end of AAP’s decade-long rule in Delhi and sets the stage for a new government under the BJP.

Atishi, who became the Chief Minister in September last year after Arvind Kejriwal quit the post following his release on bail in the liquor policy scam, submitted her resignation to Saxena at Raj Niwas. Her brief tenure as Chief Minister was marked by challenges and political turmoil.

While party heavyweights, including AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, among others, faced shocking defeat, Atishi retained her Kalkaji seat against BJP’s Ramesh Biduri. Her victory stands in contrast to the overall performance of AAP in the elections.

The AAP, which has been ruling Delhi for ten years, won 22 seats in the polls held on February 5. The party had 62 members in the outgoing house, and the BJP had just eight legislators. The significant shift in the Assembly composition reflects a major change in the political landscape of Delhi.

“I have won my seat, but this is not a time for celebration — this is the time to fight. The battle against BJP’s authoritarianism will continue,” Atishi remarked after the poll rout. However, her win is likely to cement her position in the AAP, where she has steadily risen through the ranks, positioning her as a key figure in the party’s future.

Meanwhile, the BJP has commenced high-level deliberations to finalise the next Chief Minister of Delhi. The party is expected to stake its claim to power next week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from a foreign visit, party leaders said, suggesting a swift transition to a new government.

Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat, has emerged as a key contender for the Chief Minister’s post. Other prominent names in the race include senior BJP leader Vijender Gupta, a former Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly; Satish Upadhyay, a prominent Brahmin leader and former state BJP president; Ashish Sood, the Delhi BJP general secretary known for his close ties with central leaders; and Jitendra Mahajan, a strong RSS representative from the Vaishya community. The diverse backgrounds of these contenders underscore the complexity of the selection process.

However, the party leaders also hint that the national leadership may propose a fresh name for the top post, indicating the potential for a surprise choice.

Meanwhile, a five-member BJP delegation, including Parvesh Verma, Kailash Gahlot, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Rajkumar Chouhan, and Neeraj Basoya, reached Raj Bhavan and met Lt Governor Saxena ahead of discussions on government formation. This meeting signifies the formal steps towards establishing a new government in Delhi.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

Atishi resigns, Delhi Assembly dissolved. BJP wins 48 seats. CM selection underway. Atishi: “Fight will continue”.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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