Atishi Marlena Explained

Atishi Marlena
Office:8th Chief Minister of Delhi
Cabinet:Atishi Marlena ministry
Term Start:21 September 2024
Lieutenant Governor:Vinai Kumar Saxena
Predecessor:Arvind Kejriwal
Office1:Cabinet Minister, Government of Delhi
Term Start1:9 March 2023
Term End1:17 September 2024
1Blankname1:Chief Minister
1Namedata1:Arvind Kejriwal
2Blankname1:Ministry and Departments
Predecessor1:Manish Sisodia
Office2:Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly
Preceded2:Avtar Singh
Term Start2:12 February 2020
Constituency2:Kalkaji
Birth Date:8 June 1981
Birth Place:Delhi, India
Residence:6, Flagstaff Road, New Delhi
Occupation:Politician
Party:Aam Aadmi Party
Spouse:Pravin Singh[1]

Atishi Marlena Singh (pronounced as /hi/; born 8 June 1981),[2] (also known as Atishi Singh or Atishi Marlena[3] or mononymously Atishi),[4] is an Indian politician who is currently serving as the 8th Chief Minister of Delhi since 21 September 2024, after the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal.[5] She belongs to the Aam Aadmi Party and is a member of its Political Affairs Committee, the governing body of the party. Prior to her appointment as the chief minister, she also served as the Minister of Education, P.W.D, Culture and Tourism in the Delhi Government. Previously, she served as advisor to the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, primarily on education, from July 2015 to 17 April 2018.[6] Atishi is one of only two women currently serving as a chief minister in India, along with Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal.

Early life and education

Atishi was born to Delhi University professors Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi on 8 June 1981. Although she comes from a family of Punjabi Rajput background, just before the 2019 Indian general election, she dropped 'Singh' from her surname to convince the public to focus on her political initiatives rather than her lineage.[7] [8] [9] [10] She was given the middle name Marlena by her parents. According to her party, the name is a portmanteau of Marx and Lenin.

Atishi was raised in Delhi. She did her schooling at Springdales School, New Delhi.[11] She graduated in history from the St. Stephen's College, Delhi in 2001.[12] She then went to the University of Oxford, and in 2003 she completed her master's degree in history on a Chevening scholarship.[13] In 2005, she went to Magdalen College, Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.[14] [15]

Political career

In January 2013, she became involved in policy formulation for the AAP, which has its roots in that movement.

She was closely involved with the Jal Satyagraha in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh 2015 and provided support to the AAP leader and activist spearheading the campaign Alok Agarwal during the historic protests, as well as during the legal battle that ensued.[16] After the 2020 elections, she was made the AAP's in-charge for its Goa unit.[17]

2019 Lok Sabha Elections

Atishi was appointed the Lok Sabha in-charge for East Delhi for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.[18] She contested from the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency as an AAP party candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. She lost to BJP's candidate Gautam Gambhir by a margin of 4.77 lakh votes, coming in third.

2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election

She contested in the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election from Kalkaji constituency of South Delhi. She defeated Dharambir Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, by 11,422 votes.[19]

As a Cabinet Minister

She was inducted into the Delhi Government as a Cabinet Minister, along with Saurabh Bharadwaj after the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyender Jain.[20]

As a Chief Minister

See also: Atishi Marlena ministry. On 17 September 2024, she was named as the Chief Minister of Delhi in a meeting of Aam Admi Party MLAs at the residence of Arvind Kejriwal.[21] With this, she went on to become the youngest ever CM of Delhi at an age of 43.[22]

Member of Legislative Assembly

Since 2020, she is an elected member of the 7th Delhi Assembly representing Kalkaji Assembly constituency.

Committee assignments of Delhi Legislative Assembly[23]

Governance

Atishi was also spearheading the flagship Mohalla Sabha Project for the Government of NCT of Delhi. The effort to decentralise governance to empower every citizen was a major promise of the AAP before coming to power.[26]

Controversies

On March 15, 2019, Atishi Marlena and three other party leaders were summoned to court in response to a defamation case filed by the Delhi BJP's vice-president, Rajeev Babbar. The case stemmed from their claim that the BJP had removed 30 lakh names from Delhi's voter list.[27] The court found the allegation prima facie defamatory and invoked Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for defamation. The case revolved around allegations of voter list manipulation and its impact on the BJP's reputation.[28]

BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor filed a defamation suite in 2024 against Marlena and Kejriwal over the allegations of poaching.[29]

After being elected CM, Marlena was set to move into the CM's residence, a bungalow on 6, Flagstaff Road, on 7 October 2024.[30] However, on 9 October, the AAP alleged that the BJP had failed to allot the bungalow to her and that they were trying to "usurp" it, showing documentation that Kejriwal had already vacated the bungalow. The BJP responded by claiming that Kejriwal still had the keys to the bungalow and had failed to transfer them to Marlena himself.[31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Election of India - Affidavit . 6 October 2023 . 23 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190423195642/https://suvidha.eci.gov.in/uploads/affidavit/2019/PC/U05/3/U0520190423073246.pdf . live .
  2. Web site: Candidate Affidavit. 20 January 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210817101447/https://suvidha.eci.gov.in/uploads1/acaffidavit/E8/2020/AC/U05/51/U05_1271_39_202001210815201579617920.pdf . 17 August 2021. 25 August 2022.
  3. Web site: AAP's Atishi has a surname again – and it's not 'Marlena' . Ndtv.com . 26 February 2023 . 26 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226144814/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aaps-atishi-marlena-drops-last-name-marlena-party-asked-her-to-1907342 . live .
  4. Web site: 2017-07-24 . Atishi . Aam Aadmi Party . 2024-04-11 . en-US.
  5. News: 2024-09-17 . Atishi's journey to the top: From an activist, advisor and AAP's force to the new CM of Delhi . 2024-09-17 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  6. Web site: AAP's Atishi To Be Delhi's New Chief Minister, Chosen By Arvind Kejriwal . 2024-09-17 . NDTV.com.
  7. News: Atishi drops her name Marlena. Hindustan Times. 28 August 2018. 10 September 2018. 11 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180911002458/https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/atishi-drops-second-name-marlena-denies-caste-angle/story-kb7ecS6K5pPPGTMT3XaSOM.html. live.
  8. News: Banerjee. Akash. Six lessons in 'affordable politics': AAP victory shows how elections can be fought on a shoestring. 10 February 2015. Scroll.In. 12 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150212225036/http://scroll.in/article/705509/six-lessons-in-affordable-politics-aap-victory-shows-how-elections-can-be-fought-on-a-shoestring/. live.
  9. Web site: 2018-08-29. AAP leader Atishi drops her second name Marlena, denies caste angle. 2020-08-16. Hindustan Times. en. 11 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180911002458/https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/atishi-drops-second-name-marlena-denies-caste-angle/story-kb7ecS6K5pPPGTMT3XaSOM.html. live.
  10. News: Press Trust of India. 2019-04-28. BJP, Congress, beware! Atishi Marlena is a Rajputani, warns Manish Sisodia. Business Standard. 2020-08-16. 25 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125081024/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/atishi-marlena-is-atishi-singh-a-rajputani-beware-of-her-sisodia-warns-cong-bjp-119042800734_1.html. live.
  11. News: Meet the young leaders hoping to infuse vitality into our democracy. Hindustan Times. 20 June 2015. 29 September 2016. 2 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161002084349/http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/meet-the-young-leaders-hoping-to-infuse-vitality-into-our-democracy/story-SyA7nCwFMzc7BhQxWiyXDJ.html. live.
  12. News: Who is Atishi Marlena? Everything about Delhi's new chief minister . 17 Sep 2024. 21 Sep 2024.
  13. Web site: AAP's Atishi Marlena drops second name after being announced as party's 1st candidate for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Times Now. 2018-08-28. 2019-02-11. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212131109/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/atishi-marlena-aap-candidate-2019-lok-sabha-elections-east-delhi-constituency-manish-sisodia-arvind-kejriwal-education-in-delhi-schools-who-is-atishi/276176. live.
  14. News: The Aam Aadmi of AAP: 5 personal stories of sacrifice, triumph and validation. The Economic Times. 2016-09-04. 24 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220424180230/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/the-aam-aadmi-of-aap-5-personal-stories-of-sacrifice-triumph-and-validation/articleshow/27232375.cms?from=mdr. live.
  15. Web site: Rhodes Scholars: complete list, 1903-2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131106034818/http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-scholars/rhodes-scholars-complete-list . dead . 2013-11-06 . The Rhodes Trust . 2016-09-04 .
  16. Web site: Meet the young leaders hoping to infuse vitality into our democracy. 2015-06-20. 2016-09-29. 2 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161002084349/http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/meet-the-young-leaders-hoping-to-infuse-vitality-into-our-democracy/story-SyA7nCwFMzc7BhQxWiyXDJ.html. live.
  17. Web site: AAP's Raghav Chadha Set To Be Appointed Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board, Atishi Gets New Role Too. NDTV.com. 2020-02-29. 29 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200229162910/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aap-mla-raghav-chadha-appointed-vice-chairman-of-delhi-jal-board-atishi-marlena-goa-in-charge-2187329. live.
  18. News: Amidst speculation of alliance with Congress, AAP appoints Lok Sabha in-charges for five Delhi seats. 2018-06-02. dna. 2018-06-10. 12 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612214439/http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-aam-aadmi-party-appoints-lok-sabha-in-charges-for-five-seats-2621250. live.
  19. Web site: AAP candidates Manish Sisodia and Atishi won from Patparganj and Kalkaji Assembly constituencies after trailing in early trends. 11 February 2020. 11 February 2020. 11 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200211033108/https://scroll.in/latest/952782/delhi-elections-counting-of-votes-begins-aap-looks-to-retain-power. live.
  20. News: Babu . Nikhil M. . 2024-09-17 . Atishi: From Education Minister's adviser to CM — the rise of 'Kejriwal loyalist' . 2024-09-18 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  21. News: 2024-09-17 . AAP's Atishi to succeed Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister . 2024-09-17 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  22. Web site: 2024-09-17 . How Atishi went from an academic to Delhi's youngest chief minister . 2024-09-18 . Firstpost . en-us.
  23. Web site: Committee System in Legislative Assembly of National Capital Territory of Delhi . Legislative Assembly National Capital Territory of Delhi . 17 September 2022 . 20 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163636/http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CS-Eng.pdf . dead .
  24. Web site: Delhi Legislative Assembly National Capital Territory Of Delhi Composition Of House Committees 2021-2022 . 17 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211226020949/http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CommitteeComposition.htm . 26 December 2021.
  25. Web site: Delhi Assembly Committees . www.delhiassembly.nic.in . Delhi Assembly . 17 September 2022 . 26 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211226020949/https://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CommitteeComposition.htm . dead .
  26. News: Giving people's money back to them to spend on their own. 2016-05-06. Governance Now. 2016-12-14. 20 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220120305/http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/giving-peoples-money-back-them-spend-their-own#sthash.LjlHBbFJ.dpuf. live.
  27. News: Bail to Atishi Marlena, two others in suit filed by Delhi BJP . 6 October 2023 . The Times of India . The Times of India . 8 June 2019 . 5 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240205052519/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/bail-to-atishi-two-others-in-suit-filed-by-delhi-bjp/articleshow/69697281.cms . live .
  28. News: Delhi court summons Arvind Kejriwal, others in defamation case by BJP . 6 October 2023 . The New Indian Express . The New Indian Express . The New Indian Express . 5 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240205052621/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2019/mar/15/delhi-court-summons-arvind-kejriwal-others-in-defamation-case-by-bjp-1951600.html . live .
  29. News: 2024-04-30 . BJP files defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi Marlena over poaching allegation . 2024-05-17 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  30. Web site: Delhi CM Atishi to move to 6 Flagstaff Road bungalow today as Arvind Kejriwal vacates, shifting underway . The Hindu . 7 October 2024 . 9 October 2024.
  31. Web site: CM Atishi not being allotted Flagstaff Road residence, BJP trying to usurp bungalow: AAP MP . The Hindu . 9 October 2024 . 9 October 2024.

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