In the newly-formed Delhi Cabinet, Chief Minister Atishi will retain her earlier portfolios, managing 13 departments, including Education, Finance, Power, and Water. Saurabh Bharadwaj will oversee eight departments, notably Health, Urban Development, and Social Welfare, while Gopal Rai will continue to handle Environment, alongside two other departments.
Kailash Gehlot has been assigned four departments, including Transport and Women and Child Development (WCD), news agency ANI reported. Imran Hussain will head the Food Supply and Election departments, while new Cabinet member Mukesh Ahlawat will take charge of five departments, including SC/ST Welfare and Labour.
Atishi-Led Delhi Govt's Oath Ceremony
Atishi, a senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, was sworn in as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at a low-key ceremony held at Raj Niwas on Saturday. She is Delhi's third woman chief minister, following Sheila Dikshit of Congress and Sushma Swaraj of the BJP. Atishi's tenure will be brief, as assembly elections in the capital are due in February.
Saurabh Bharadwaj was the first among the ministers to take oath, followed by Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat. The event was attended by Atishi's predecessor and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and other AAP leaders and MLAs. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, BJP MPs including Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, and Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora were also present.
South Delhi BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri emphasised that the new government should address public issues, saying, "The government should fulfil the promises made by the AAP. They should reduce electricity and water bills and waive property taxes in rural Delhi." He also urged for the implementation of the Central Government's Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi.
Atishi's administration faces significant challenges as it takes charge following months of stagnation caused by Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody in the excise policy case. The AAP government had struggled to maintain basic services, such as road maintenance, water supply, and healthcare infrastructure, due to an alleged fund crunch. With several pending projects and schemes on hold, Atishi will need to expedite governance and ensure the implementation of flagship programmes like the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana,' which promises Rs 1,000 honourarium to eligible women in Delhi.