Delhi's third woman Chief Minister Atishi, who replaced Arvind Kejriwal after his resignation in September last year, filed her nomination on Tuesday for the upcoming Assembly polls, declaring a net worth of Rs 76.93 lakh, with no car or house in her name.
According to Atishi's affidavit submitted to the Election Commission (EC), her movable assets include Rs 30,000 cash in hand, gold jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh and approximately Rs 75 lakh held in bank accounts as fixed deposits and savings. The affidavit also revealed that Atishi does not own any immovable property.
Atishi's financial assets have grown by Rs 17.14 lakh since the last Assembly election in 2020, when she declared a net worth of Rs 59.79 lakh. Even then, she did not own a car, house or other immovable property. Her income for the financial year 2023-24 stood at Rs 9,62,860, up from Rs 4,72,680 in 2022-23.
After filing her nomination, Atishi expressed gratitude to her constituents. "On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, I have filed my nomination. I hope that just as I have received love from the people of Kalkaji before, I will continue to receive the same in the future," she said.
The chief minister's highest educational qualification is a Master of Science degree that she received from the University of Oxford in 2006.
The affidavit also clears doubts around Atishi's surname. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has dropped her surname "Marlena" from all her social media accounts, according to the affidavit, her name is still Atishi Marlena.
The Chief Minister is pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ramesh Bidhuri and the Congress' Alka Lamba for the high-profile seat. A seasoned politician and former MP, Bidhuri won the Tughlakabad assembly seat in 2003, 2008 and 2013. Lamba was with the AAP for almost five years and joined the Congress in 2019.
Atishi won the seat by a margin of more than 11,000 votes in the 2020 election, defeating the BJP's Dharambir. Originally scheduled to file her nomination on January 13 following a roadshow, Atishi missed the 3-pm deadline due to a delay caused by the event. She successfully filed her papers the next day.
The Assembly polls will determine whether the AAP can retain power in Delhi, overcoming a stiff challenge from the BJP and the Congress.
Senior AAP Leader and Malviya Nagar candidate Somnath Bharti filed his nomination papers on Tuesday. Prior to that, he conducted a grand roadshow from Lakshmi Narayan Temple, showcasing his popularity and support. People from all corners of Malviya Nagar gathered to join the roadshow, showering him with flowers and blessings.
During the Bharti said, "I consider the entire Malviya Nagar as my family, and my family reciprocates with affection and respect like a close relative. Over the past 12 years, I haven’t earned money; I’ve earned the hearts of the people. This is why I received such immense love during the roadshow."
