New Delhi: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi officially took over as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Monday, referencing the bond between Lord Ram and Bharat while expressing her personal feelings about the transition.

At a press conference, she pointed to an empty chair, stating that it would remain vacant until Arvind Kejriwal returns to power. This gesture was inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana, where Bharat chose not to sit on the throne left by Lord Ram to show his deep love and respect.

"I have the same pain as Ramayana's Bharat had. Just as Bharat ruled by keeping Lord Ram's wooden sandals, I will take charge as the Chief Minister with an empty chair for the next four months," Atishi said after assuming charge as Chief Minister at the Secretariat.

Atishi emphasised that her appointment is temporary and symbolic. "For the last 2 years, the BJP has left no stone unturned in throwing muck on Arvind Kejriwal. He was put in jail for 6 months. He said that he will not sit on the CM chair again until the people of Delhi consider him honest. The court also said that the agency arrested Arvind Kejriwal with malice," she said.

"This chair belongs to Arvind Kejriwal. I am confident that in the elections to be held in February, the people of Delhi will make Arvind Kejriwal the Chief Minister again. Till then, this empty chair will remain here," she said.

On Saturday, she took the oath of office along with Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat, who are now Cabinet ministers. However, one ministerial position is still unfilled.

The new ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working under the leadership of AAP's national convener, Arvind Kejriwal.

Atishi is not only the third woman to serve as Delhi’s Chief Minister but also the youngest to hold this position. She stepped into the role following Kejriwal's resignation after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the liquor policy case.

Representing Delhi's Kalkaji constituency, Atishi was unanimously chosen as the leader for the Chief Minister post during the AAP legislature party meeting on September 17.

Agency