As Arvind Kejriwal’s successor, Atishi Marlena Singh, popularly known by the first name Atishi, has a tough job at hand to steer the party to victory in the upcoming assembly polls. The lone woman minister in the Delhi Cabinet, the Kalkaji MLA, Atishi, 43, holds the maximum portfolios in the AAP government, including key departments like education and Public Works Department (PWD). Her ascent to the chief ministerial role was marked by monumental shifts in AAP’s internal dynamics, with senior leaders like Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain embroiled in legal battles. Both Sisodia and Jain resigned from their positions following their arrests. Now with CM Kejriwal stepping down, it has created a vacuum within the AAP leadership.
A Rhodes Scholar and Oxford University alumnus, Atishi’s academic credentials are enviable and her experience in public service, particularly in the education sector has also been lauded by all. A major architect behind Delhi’s education reforms, she spearheaded AAP’s efforts to improve government schools, a hallmark initiative of Kejriwal’s administration.
Atishi entered the Delhi cabinet in March 2023 after Sisodia’s resignation in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case. Since then, she has been instrumental in steering key governmental projects. During Kejriwal and Sisodia’s legal challenges, she often served as the public face of the party.
During the 2023 Independence Day celebrations, with Kejriwal entangled in legal proceedings at the time, Atishi was chosen to hoist the national flag at the Delhi government’s official event, although Delhi LG VK Saxena put a stop to the plans.
She began her career working with grassroots organisations before joining AAP and rapidly rising through the ranks. Her role as an education reformer earned her national recognition, and her involvement in addressing pressing issues like Delhi’s water crisis and women’s safety strengthened her public image.
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