Grave insult to Constitution, CM post: BJP, Congress on Atishi leaving Kejriwal's chair vacant

Atishi said she would serve as Delhi's chief minister for four months like Ramayana's Bharat who ruled Ayodhya in the absence of his elder brother Lord Ram by placing his 'khadaun' (wooden slippers) on the throne.

New Delhi: The BJP and the Congress on Monday attacked Delhi's new chief minister Atishi, over her decision not to sit on the chair used by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, saying her gesture was a "grave insult" to the constitutional rules and the post of chief minister.

Atishi, who took charge as the eighth chief minister of Delhi on Monday, said she would serve as Delhi's chief minister for four months like Ramayana's Bharat who ruled Ayodhya in the absence of his elder brother Lord Ram by placing his 'khadaun' (wooden slippers) on the throne.

She sat on a white chair, which was placed next to Kejriwal's chair.  Hitting out at Atishi, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said her gesture was an "insult" to the constitutional rules and the post of chief minister.  "What she did was not ideal. Through her gesture, she has not only insulted the post of chief minister but also hurt the feelings of the people of Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal needs to answer whether he will run the government through a remote control," he said.

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said with her gesture of keeping Kejriwal's chair vacant, Atishi has proved herself to be a "dummy" chief minister.

"I have a strong objection to this that a person who was in jail for a corruption case is being compared to Lord Ram. Atishi has crossed all limits and presented herself as a dummy chief minister," Yadav said.  The Congress leader said the gesture has proved that people should not keep any hope from the Atishi government, he added.

BJP's Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has once again "insulted" the Constitution and proved that Atishi is a "puppet chief minister" .

"What is the meaning of an empty chair when there is a chief minister in the office? This act shows that she is a puppet CM and it is a grave insult to the Constitution. I am sure that the people of Delhi will take cognisance of it," Tiwari said.

After taking charge, Atishi said, "I will work for four months as the chief minister of Delhi as Bharat did by keeping Lord Ram's khadaun on the throne. Arvind Kejriwal has set an example of dignity in politics by stepping down. The BJP left no stone unturned to tarnish his image." "I hope people will bring back Kejriwal in the February polls; his chair will remain in the CM office till then."