The latest reallocation of portfolios in the Delhi government has catapulted Atishi to the number two spot in the Kejriwal dispensation in the national capital, with the key departments of Finance, Planning and Revenue being allocated to her.
With 12 ministries and departments under her charge now, Atishi, who was inducted into the Delhi cabinet around four months ago, now has the largest number of ministries and departments under her charge. She now comes to occupy a position similar to that of Manish Sisodia, who was deputy chief minister.
Atishi had made an entry into the Delhi cabinet around four months ago along with Saurabh Bharadwaj. Kejriwal had inducted them into the ministerial team in view of his key cabinet colleagues Sisodia and Satyender Jain being put in judicial custody in cases of alleged corruption.
The only woman member in the cabinet which comprises seven ministers, Atishi was in charge of Education, Public Works Department, Power, Women and Child Development, Art and Culture, Tourism, Higher Education, Training and Technical Education, and Public Relations. In the latest reshuffle of portfolios, she has been given Finance, Planning and Revenue. All the three departments were with Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
The 42-year-old Atishi had made a mark even before she was inducted into the cabinet with the work she had done towards improving the condition of schools run by the Delhi government in close collaboration with Sisodia, who earlier held the education portfolio. She was also among the most prominent faces of the Aam Aadmi Party taking on political opponents in press conferences and in television debates. She had contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 unsuccessfully from East Delhi constituency, losing to BJP's Gautam Gambhir. She had then contested the Assembly elections in 2020, winning from Kalkaji constituency.
The growth in the profile of the Rhodes scholar, who transformed from an educationist to a politician influenced by the India Against Corruption movement, has been evident not only in the responsibilities that she has been given in the Delhi government but also in her party's political engagements. She has emerged as a key figure in the talks that have taken place between the AAP leadership and prominent opposition leaders on the issue of the Centre's ordinance that has given the control of services to the Lieutenant Governor.