Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi ministers Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi during AAP workers' meeting, in New Delhi, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Suspense over the new Delhi chief minister grew on Monday as AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal held "one on one" meetings with members of party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and ministers, while Atishi emerged as the front-runner for the post.
Kejriwal, who on Sunday announced that he will quit as chief minister, will meet Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at 4:30 pm on Tuesday to submit his resignation after a meeting of AAP MLAs at his residence. Sources said Kejriwal is likely to indicate his choice of his successor at the meeting.
Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj told reporters that the meeting of the PAC was held at Kejriwal's official residence where the Chief Minister sought feedback on his replacement from each leader present.
"Kejriwal had announced that he would resign on Tuesday. Today he sought time from the L-G and he has been given time tomorrow. Today a PAC meeting was called where senior leaders and ministers were present. Kejriwal met all of them one on one on the issue of a new chief minister. Tomorrow, the legislative party meeting is there and this discussion will go into the second round," he said.
Asked about the names discussed, he said the meeting was "one on one" and nobody knows about other's preferences.
Sources indicated that Atishi, who headed the most number of ministries and departments in the government when Kejriwal was in jail, is the front-runner. Considered a Kejriwal loyalist, Atishi had helmed the reforms in education sector under Manish Sisodia when he was Deputy Chief Minister handling the ministry.
They also said there is no chance of bringing in Kejriwal's wife Sunita at the helm as it would be counter-productive.
The names of senior ministers Kailash Gahlot and Gopal Rai were also doing the rounds but sources said one should remember that Atishi was Kejriwal's choice to unfurl tricolour at the Independence Day celebrations when the L-G chose Gahlot. However, a section in the party argued that Kejriwal may choose a Dalit like Rakhi Birla or minority community member like minister Imran Husain.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal also held separate discussions with Sisodia, who would not be considered for the post. While announcing his resignation, Kejriwal had said that neither he nor Sisodia would assume the chair of chief ministership till they get the "certificate of honesty" from people during elections. Both were jailed in the Delhi excise policy case.