New Delhi, Sep 17, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS): With Delhi's first woman Chief Minister lasting just over 50 days in her only stint while her successor and the second woman in the post spent over 15 years in office in three consecutive terms, how will AAP's Atishi compare against Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit? 

BJP stalwart Sushma Swaraj had headed the Delhi government for 52 days from October 12, 1998, to December 3, 1998. The third CM after the BJP won Delhi's first Assembly elections in 1993 following Madan Lal Khurana and Sahib Singh Verma, she ascended to the office without contesting an election.

Sushma Swaraj went on to have the second-shortest stint in power, just ahead of AAP's Arvind Kejriwal whose first time in power, with the backing of the Congress, lasted just 49 days.

Delhi’s longest-serving Chief Minister, Dikshit of Congress was in power for 15 years and 25 days from December 3, 1998, to December 28, 2013, over three terms.

However, while Atishi, at 43, the youngest to hold the CM's post after Kejriwal, who was 46 in his first stint, may exceed Sushma Swaraj's term in power, she may not even approach Dikshit's record, as she is likely to be a "stopgap" Chief Minister till the next Delhi elections.

Elections in Delhi are due next February though the AAP has been seeking that they be held in November, along with Maharashtra, where a fresh House has to be elected before November 26.

Even if the AAP comes back to power with a majority for a third term, Kejriwal is likely to reclaim the top post. While announcing his resignation, he had said that he would return to the CM's chair only if the people gave him a "certificate of honesty", indicating a fresh mandate for his party.

"I will not sit in that chair till the people announce their verdict. Elections in Delhi are months away. I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people's court. I will sit in the Chief Minister's chair only after the order of the people," Kejriwal said at a meeting with party workers on Sunday, days after he walked out of jail following bail in the CBI case.

If the Election Commission accepts the AAP demand for earlier elections, then, Atishi will be in power till November at least, and just best Sushma Swaraj's record by some days.

However, if the poll panel decides to go for a new house only shortly before the term of the current Assembly ends on February 23, 2025, Atishi is likely to have a longer stint, though it will still only span some months.