New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday reacted to the AAP's decision to appoint Atishi as the new Chief Minister of the national capital, saying that the public of Delhi is very troubled by the AAP government and that there is a strong desire among the public to oust the AAP from power.
"The public of Delhi is very troubled by the AAP government, and they are regretting it. He has ruined Delhi after winning the elections by telling lies," Rijiju told ANI.
Adding further, Rijiju said, "Atishi's surname suggests she is a leftist. The family members of Atishi supported Afzal Guru and even criticised the Supreme Court. AAP has ruined Delhi, and now they are ruining Punjab. The public of Delhi has made up their mind to remove AAP from power. The public of Delhi has made a big mistake by electing such anarchists. Now they are regretting."
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on Tuesday took a dig at the AAP government as she congratulated Atishi for being elected as the successor of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
"Many congratulations to Atishi Marlena. But it is Delhi's misfortune that there has been the AAP government here for the last decade. The full stop on Delhi's development will continue till the time there is an AAP government here. A double-engine government is very important for the development of Delhi," Swaraj said.
Reacting to Atishi being the new Delhi CM, BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said, "Many congratulations to Atishi for being the new CM. We will support her in the development of Delhi. We hope that she will use our experience also for the benefit of Delhi. The condition of Delhi is very bad. People don't have drinking water, the roads are broken, and our public transport system has collapsed. I hope that these problems will be solved when Atishi becomes the CM."
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also took a swipe at the AAP government for electing Atishi as the new face of the Delhi Chief Minister and said, "Unfortunately, first Delhi had a 'jailwala' CM who ran the government from jail, and became the 'bailwala' CM later. Now there will be a dummy CM. The word 'dummy CM' is not mine, it is of Saurabh Bharadwaj and Somnath Bharti."
"The AAP party has been saying that the new CM will be a 'Khadau' CM, a stopgap arrangement for Arvind Kejriwal, and a night watchman CM. You made a woman CM but she is a proxy and a dummy CM also. The face has changed but will the character of this government change?" said Poonawalla.
"There have been scams in all departments held by Atishi. The new person on the CM chair would be someone whose family advocated for Afzal Guru. AAP and Atishi must clarify if they agree with such thoughts or not," added the BJP leader.
Earlier, in the day, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal alleged that Delhi Minister Atishi's parents had written mercy petitions to cancel the death sentence of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Calling Atishi a "Dummy CM," Maliwal said, "May God protect Delhi." She also shared a purported letter, which she claimed was the mercy petition written by Atishi's parents.
After being elected as the leader of the Delhi AAP legislative party and the new Chief Minister, Atishi expressed gratitude to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal for handing her over the responsibility and for placing trust in her.
Addressing the media, Atishi said, First of all, I would like to thank the popular CM of Delhi, the AAP national convener and my guru, Arvind Kejriwal. He gave me such a huge responsibility and trusted me for it. This can be done only in AAP, only under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, that a first-time politician becomes the CM of a state."
"I come from an ordinary family. Had I been in any other party, perhaps I would not have been given even an election ticket. But Arvind Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA and a minister and today gave me the responsibility of the CM. I am happy that Arvind Kejriwal placed such trust in me," said Atishi.
The Delhi CM designate also said that she was sad that Arvind Kejriwal had tendered his resignation.
"I am also sad because Delhi CM and my elder brother, Arvind Kejriwal, is resigning today. On behalf of all AAP MLAs and the 2 crore people of Delhi, I would like to say that there is just one CM of Delhi - Arvind Kejriwal," said Atishi.
AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday met Lt Governor VK Saxena and tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister of Delhi.
Senior AAP leader and minister Atishi, who was chosen by the party legislators to be the next Chief Minister, met LG Saxena to stake claim to the post.
Speaking to the media after meeting the Lt Governor, Atishi said, "This is the first time in the democratic history of the world that a Chief Minister has decided that the decision of the Supreme Court is not enough for him. Until the court of the people gives its verdict, he will not sit on the Chief Minister's chair."
"The people of Delhi want to see Arvind Kejriwal ji as the Chief Minister, so they have vowed to make him win in the next elections too. The whole Delhi is saddened by Kejriwal's resignation," she added.
Atishi's name was proposed by Kejriwal at the meeting of the legislature party, and it was unanimously accepted by the AAP MLAs. Sources said there would be no Deputy Chief Minister and Atishi, who represents the Kalkaji constituency, would take oath during a special Assembly session on September 26-27.
Speaking on her appointment, Delhi minister Gopal Rai said, "The responsibility has been given to Atishi in testing times. Agencies were being misused against AAP to destabilise the government. AAP has frustrated these attempts."
Rai said Atishi, who has been with the AAP since its inception, had two major responsibilities--to work for the two crore people of Delhi and stop the BJP's conspiracies.
Kejriwal, who was granted bail in the liquor policy case last week, sent shockwaves through Delhi's political circles after his announcement to resign on September 15. (ANI)
