Former chief minister Atishi appointed leader of opposition in Delhi assembly, AAP announces

New Delhi: In a historic move, former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was elected as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly on Sunday. The decision was made unanimously during a meeting of AAP legislators, where Atishi emerged as a strong female face against Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. 

Atishi’s elevation to the opposition leader’s role holds significant importance, especially after AAP’s recent electoral setbacks, where key leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, lost their respective seats. Expressing her gratitude, Atishi thanked Kejriwal and the AAP leadership for entrusting her with this responsibility. She vowed to ensure that the BJP government fulfills its poll promise of providing Rs 2,500 per month to Delhi’s women.

Kejriwal congratulates Atishi

Arvind Kejriwal took to social media to congratulate Atishi on her new role. "As a strong opposition, we will ensure that the BJP government fulfills all its promises to the people of Delhi. AAP will continue to raise public issues with full force," he wrote. Kejriwal further stated, "She will play a constructive role in serving the interests of Delhi’s people."

Atishi’s rising political influence

During Kejriwal’s incarceration, Atishi emerged as the face of the AAP government in Delhi, actively countering the BJP and Congress on various issues. Elected from Kalkaji in 2020, she retained her seat despite a tough contest against former BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, known for his controversial statements.

BJP’s victory in Delhi assembly elections

The recent Delhi Assembly elections saw the BJP securing a landslide victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats, thereby ending AAP’s rule. Kejriwal’s party, which had achieved resounding victories in 2015 and 2020, managed to secure only 22 seats this time. Meanwhile, the Congress continued its downward spiral, failing to win a single seat for the third consecutive term. The first session of the newly elected Delhi Assembly is set to commence on February 24, where the ruling BJP government plans to present the pending CAG report on the previous AAP administration’s performance.