Atishi takes charge, sits next to empty chair used by former CM Kejriwal

Will work like Bharat, who ruled Ayodhya by placing Lord Ram’s wooden sandals on the throne till his return from exile, says CM Atishi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Monday assumed charge as Delhi Chief Minister but sat next to an empty chair used by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, saying she would work like Bharat, who had ruled Ayodhya by placing Lord Ram’s wooden sandals on the throne.

Ms. Atishi occupied a white chair placed next to the red one used by the former CM as she drew a parallel with the Ramayana chapter in which Bharat refuses to sit on the Ayodhya throne when his elder brother Lord Ram goes into exile.

“This chair of the Chief Minister of Delhi belongs to Arvind Kejriwalji,” she said, pointing to the empty chair.

“Just as Bharat ruled Ayodhya by placing Lord Ram’s khadaun (wooden sandals) [on the throne] for 14 years, in the same way, I will run the Delhi government for the next four months,” the 43-year-old CM added.

‘Unconstitutional’

The move drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which termed it “sycophancy” and “unconstitutional”. The Congress also took potshots at the CM, saying she would have to “wait endlessly” as Mr. Kejriwal’s exile is “set to last forever”.

However, Ms. Atishi said she has complete faith that people will once again vote for her party during the Delhi Assembly poll in February next year. “Till then, this chair will remain in this room [CM Office] waiting for Kejriwalji,” she said.

She also attacked the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, saying it had “left no stone unturned” to tarnish her predecessor’s image by implicating him in “false corruption cases”.

“The BJP filed false cases against him, arrested him, and kept him in jail for six months. When Supreme Court granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, it said that his arrest was made with malicious intent,” she said.

Reacting to it, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said though it was amply clear that she would be “remote-controlled” by Mr. Kejriwal, they did not anticipate that the AAP regime would turn into a “government of sycophancy”. He said placing two chairs in the CM Office is a “violation of constitutional protocols”.

‘Skewed priorities’

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said Ms. Atishi seems to have skewed priorities.

“Her primary concern seems to be to whitewash the corruption of the former CM, and not the welfare of people,” he said, adding that people have made up their minds to banish Mr. Kejriwal from the political landscape of the Capital.

Published - September 24, 2024 12:57 am IST