Delhi LG Proposes Sept 21 swearing-in of CM-designate Atishi

New Delhi: Delhi lieutenant-governor V.K. Saxena has proposed September 21 for the swearing-in chief minister-designate Atishi, whose letter staking claim to forming the government in Delhi has been forwarded to President Droupadi Murmu.

Once Ms Murmu accepts the letter, the L-G will invite her for government formation, a government official said. After the swearing-in, a special session of the Delhi Assembly will be held on September 26-27, in which Ms Atishi is expected to prove her majority.

Besides Ms Atishi, the L-G is expected to administer the oath to six more Cabinet ministers. In outgoing chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Cabinet, Ms Atishi had been allocated the maximum of 14 portfolios. She had been handling the finance, education and public works departments, among others. Among others in the Kejriwal Cabinet were Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kailash Gahlot and Imran Hussain.

In Delhi, a chief minister can have a maximum of six Cabinet colleagues. There are indications that two fresh faces may be inducted in Ms Atishi’s Cabinet. Sources said the party is seriously considering including a Dalit face in the new Cabinet.

A senior AAP functionary said the AAP legislature party had not mentioned any specific date for the oath ceremony of the chief minister-designate. Mr Kejriwal and his Cabinet had on Tuesday submitted their resignations to the L-G, who had forwarded the same for final approval to President Murmu.

As Mr Kejriwal is expected to leave his 6, Flagstaff Road official bungalow in the next 15 days, he is looking for a new accommodation. “Nothing has been finalised where Mr Kejriwal and his family will shift in the next few days,” a senior AAP leader told this newspaper.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh Singh, however, said that Mr Kejriwal will give up all the facilities provided to him as Delhi chief minister, including the official residence, vehicles and security, and live like a “common man”. Mr Kejriwal used to travel in an old blue Wagon R car even when he first became chief minister in 2013.