Delhi CM-Designate Atishi is scheduled to be sworn in as Delhi's new Chief Minister on September 21, as confirmed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The current cabinet members are expected to stay on, while two new members may join the team. This comes after Arvind Kejriwal's resignation and Atishi's claim to form the next government. However, the new tenure will be short as the assembly elections are due in February next year.
AAP sources have indicated that sitting ministers Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain will retain their positions in the cabinet. Among the new entrants, Karol Bagh MLA Vishesh Ravi and Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar are being considered. These additions would help fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former Social Welfare Minister Raaj Kumar Anand.
Kejriwal formally submitted his resignation to Delhi Lt. Governor V K Saxena earlier this week, paving the way for Atishi, who had been chosen as the Leader of AAP's legislature party, to stake her claim to form a new government. The Lt. Governor has forwarded Kejriwal's resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, with the swearing-in ceremony for Atishi proposed for September 21.
The Delhi Cabinet will continue to consist of seven members, including the Chief Minister. Atishi's term as CM will be brief, as Delhi's elections are fast approaching in February 2024.
In the previous Kejriwal government, Atishi managed 13 key departments, including education, finance, revenue, PWD, and power. If she retains these portfolios, it will mark the first time in a while that the Delhi Chief Minister holds multiple significant roles.
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