As predicted by the Delhi based media, AAP leader and minister Atishi has been declared successor to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, following his decision to resign from the post. Although the formality of a legislative party meet was gone through, it was ultimately Kejriwal’s choice. Even as he works to reposition himself as a ‘principled politician’ by seeking the people’s mandate in the next state elections before taking over as CM again, it is also important for him to ensure the person replacing him in the ‘temporary’ chief ministership does not begin to get any grandiose ideas about continuing in the position.
Atishi fits into that slot pretty well as, despite her high profile and numerous portfolios as a minister, she does not have much independent backing among the general public. Even if she does do well in the brief time to lead the Delhi government, it will matter little and only raise the party’s standing. All the same, the choice will have not gone down well with some of the other senior members of the party, who believe they are more deserving. In fact, the party leader who announced the decision on Atishi seemed to be more lamenting than communicating Kejriwal’s choice.
It is being made clear that Atishi will be a Bharat to Kejriwal’s Ram, as he spends his time in exile – hopefully much less than fourteen years. So, the boundaries have been established which Atishi will be required to respect, even as she does her job. Constitutionally, however, Delhi is back on the rails and the peculiar arrangement of an absentee CM has been ended.
AAP wants that the Delhi assembly elections should be held as soon as possible, while at the same time apprehending that there might be a deliberate delay. Much depends on how well the party will do in the Haryana elections. Kejriwal will take energetic part in the campaign, seeking to revive his role as ‘charismatic’ vote-getter. There will be dissension within the party regarding Atishi, signs of which are already evident with MP Swati Maliwal’s reminder that the new Chief Minister comes from a family background that favoured mercy for terrorist Afzal Guru in the belief that he was just a ‘political scapegoat’. Other party leaders may be of the same opinion but will, for the time being, keep their cards close to their chest. The situation may provide a happy hunting ground for the BJP in the days to come.
