Names of several AAP leaders were doing the rounds for the post of Chief Minister. Atishi, however, was the frontrunner for the top job as she had assumed a central role in the party after the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.
Atishi Marlena Singh, the lone woman minister in the Delhi Cabinet, was on Tuesday selected for the Delhi Chief Minister’s post by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) legislators. The Kalkaji MLA, who holds the maximum portfolios in the AAP government, will take over from party chief Arvind Kejriwal with just months left for the Delhi Assembly election.
Names of several AAP leaders were doing the rounds for the top post after Arvind Kejriwal, out on jail on interim bail in connection with the liquor policy case, announced that he was stepping down from the chief minister’s post. Among these candidates were ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sunita Kejriwal, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife.
Atishi, however, was the frontrunner for the top job as she had assumed a central role in the party after the arrest of Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case.
On March 21, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. With his former deputy Manish Sisodia in jail as well, there was no second in command in the party and government.
Atishi took a central stand over the party chief’s arrest, and along with Saurabh Bharadwaj, led the government’s charge during the Lok Sabha elections. During this time, she had the maximum media appearances among her colleagues in Delhi, making her a household name.
Even after the general elections, Atishi remained the most visible Delhi AAP leader. In June, she sat on an indefinite hunger strike against the Haryana government for not releasing 100 million gallons per day of water, creating a water crisis in the national capital. She had to be hospitalised after her health condition deteriorated.
Key ministries that Atishi looks after are education, finance, planning, PWD, water, power and public relations.
Among the 14 ministries, education is the most important portfolio handled by Atishi. The Aam Aadmi Party has consistently highlighted its education policy, particularly in upgrading infrastructure and curriculum in Delhi’s government schools.
Atishi being made in-charge of the education ministry elevated her status in the party significantly. She had served as the advisor to Manish Sisodia, former education minister, until April 2018, which further helped her case.
During her time as advisor to Sisodia, the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ and ‘Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum’ were introduced in Delhi government schools, focusing on students’ emotional well-being and skill development.
Early life and education
Atishi, born on June 8, 1981, hails from an academic family in Delhi, with her parents, Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, both professors at Delhi University.
Atishi, as she is popularly known, was given the middle name ‘Marlena,’ a blend of the names Marx and Lenin, a reflection of her ideological roots. In 2018, seeking to shift the focus from her family background to her work, she adopted the name Atishi in her public persona.
Her educational journey began in Delhi, where she completed her high school education at Springdales School, Pusa Road. Atishi pursued her undergraduate degree in History from the prestigious St. Stephen’s College in 2001.
She advanced her education at Oxford University, earning a master’s degree in History in 2003 on a Chevening scholarship, followed by her time at Magdalen College as a Rhodes scholar in 2005.
Political involvement
Atishi’s political career began in January 2013 when she joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). She played an influential role in policy formulation, particularly drawing from her experiences during the Anti-Corruption Movement in India. Her activism gained prominence during the Jal Satyagraha in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, in 2015, where she supported AAP leader Alok Agarwal during the protests and the subsequent legal challenges.
In the lead-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Atishi was appointed the party’s in-charge for East Delhi. She contested the elections but faced a significant defeat, coming in third against BJP’s Gautam Gambhir, with a loss margin of 4.77 lakh votes.
Rise in Delhi politics
The 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections marked a pivotal moment in her political journey. Contesting from the Kalkaji constituency in South Delhi, Atishi secured victory against BJP candidate Dharambir Singh by a margin of 11,422 votes. This win propelled her to play a prominent role within the Delhi government.
Cabinet appointment and legislative roles
Following her electoral success, Atishi was inducted into the Delhi government as a Cabinet Minister, filling the posts left vacant by the resignations of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyender Jain.
In the 2022-23 period, she served as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and was involved with several other committees, including those focused on Women and Child Welfare, Minority Welfare, and Education.