‘Delhi got new Manmohan Singh’: BJP reacts on Atishi taking oath as third woman CM of national capital

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on September 21 said the national capital got a ‘new Manmohan Singh’ after Atishi took oath in the afternoon as Delhi’s new Chief Minister. 

“I congratulate the people of Delhi as they got the 'new Manmohan Singh' as the real power will be with Arvind Kejriwal - he will be the de facto CM and Atishi will be de jure CM. The Court has given such bail conditions that Arvind Kejriwal wasn't able to function as CM directly, hence an OPS system has begun here,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla was quoted by ANI as saying. 

Atishi Marlena on September 21 took oath as the CM of Delhi, replacing Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is the third woman CM of the national capital after late Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. At 43, Atishi is also set to become the youngest CM in Delhi’s history, surpassing Kejriwal, who was 45 when he first took office.  

Speaking to the media, after taking her oath, Atishi said, “Today, I have taken oath as CM but it is an emotional moment for us when Arvind Kejriwal is not the CM... Arvind Kejriwal changed the lives of people of Delhi... We all have to do just one work now- to make Arvind Kejriwal the chief minister of Delhi again...” 

Delhi’s leader of opposition Vijender Gupta said, “It is a dummy government and a dummy chief minister. It will be a remote-control run govt.” 

Poonawalla added, “We all know how nature and character aren’t changed but just the face. And if nature and character have changed then it’s a request to Atishi with folded hands to open the doors of 'Sheeshmahal' which was built using Rs 150 crore... The last thing is that - now, someone is there at a constitutional post and we don’t know about her stand on Afzal Guru as her family has shown a soft corner towards him (Afzal Guru).” 

North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari urged the new Delhi chief minister to probe the alleged Delhi liquor scam. 

On Atishi’s swearing in as CM, Union Minister Harsh Malhotra said, “I congratulate Atishi and I hope that she and the AAP govt will now work for the people of Delhi... I hope she will implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojna in Delhi which Arvind Kejriwal promised during the 2020 elections so that the people of Delhi can get the benefit of health insurance up to rs 5 lakhs that other people in the country are getting...”