Who will succeed Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi CM in two days? Atishi, Gopal Rai, Sunita Kejriwal or…

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced plans to resign on Tuesday in order to seek a “certificate of honesty” from the public. The AAP supremo also sought to prepone elections in the national capital from February 2025 to November this year — a call that has since been seconded by the opposition BJP.

The Aam Aadmi Party intends to hold a meeting of its Delhi MLAs within the next 48 hours in order to select a new chief minister. The names of his wife Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Ministers Atishi and Gopal Rai have been doing the rounds as a probable replacement since the announcement was made. Both Kejriwal and his former Deputy Manish Sisodia however remain off the list of choices. They will only reprise their roles “when people say we are honest”.

The party could also opt for a ‘surprise’ candidate as part of its election strategy. Speculative reports have broached the possibility of a Dalit or Muslim legislator being nominated to the top post for the next few months. The party has reportedly witnessed thinning support among the community since the Delhi riots in 2020. A PTI report quoting AAP sources named Delhi Minister Imran Hussain as a likely CM face in such a scenario.

Who are the likely contenders?

It would be simplest for the party to elevate one of its five existing Cabinet members to the top post for the next few months. The Election Commission will also be loath to to hold by-polls to induct a non-MLA with Delhi slated to hold Assembly polls within the next six months.

Atishi — The senior AAP leader was sworn in as a minister in March 2023 as several members of the Cabinet found themselves mired in legal trouble. By December she had become a critical cog in the Delhi government wheel, handling 14 major portfolios. These included finance, PWD, water, education, and law. She had also taken over many of the public-facing duties of the government following the imprisonment of Kejriwal. 

Kailash Gahlot — He is one of the longest-serving members of the Kejriwal government and has worked with the CM since 2020. The city-state had also made substantial strides in improving infrastructure with Gahlot as Transport Minister. He has held several key portfolios including law, revenue, finance, home, and Information Technology in the past two years. Gahlot currently holds the women and child development portfolio. 

Gopal Rai — He has been a constant part of the AAP government since it first came to power in 2013. The seasoned politician has a background in student activism and deep ties with working-class communities in the city. Rai is currently the Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest and wildlife, Development and General Administration.

Saurabh Bharadwaj — The final member of the current Kejriwal Cabinet is a frequent face in press conferences and public debates. Bharadwaj took oath last year alongside Atishi and currently holds portfolios such as health and urban development.

Sunita Kejriwal — The former Indian Revenue Service officer is well acquainted with bureaucratic and administrative processes. She has become a vocal member of the AAP team in recent months and participated extensively in the Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat Lok Sabha election campaigns. News agency PTI quoted sources to indicate on Sunday that Sunita Kejriwal could be a potential replacement candidate. Over the last few months she had regularly attended press conferences and even sat in Kejriwal's seat (used for video messages) to share his messages for the public.
Sunita Kejriwal is however not an official member of the AAP or a Delhi MLA.

(With inputs from agencies)