Atishi, an empty chair, and a loaded question

Symbolism occupied the empty chair as Atishi took charge as the Delhi Chief Minister on Monday. The brown leather-upholstered chair beside which Atishi sat to work was her “guru” and predecessor Arvind Kejriwal’s. An empty chair is uncommon as all politics revolve around the kursi (chair), be it itself revolving or not. The empty chair does give rise to some questions though.
“Today, I carry the same burden as Bharat did. Just as he placed Lord Ram’s sandals on the throne and ruled, I will govern Delhi for the next four months with the same spirit,” Atishi said, referring to Bharat’s loyalty and dedication towards his elder brother.
AAP, as part of its soft-Hindutva approach, has tried to latch on to Ramayana. It is projecting Atishi and the empty chair as a Bharat-Ram pious act. However, it is clear to everyone that it is nothing but pure sycophancy.
Though the luxe empty chair doesn’t remind one of Lord Ram and his brother Bharat, it does bring to mind another empty chair from down south.
In 2001, it was AIADMK’s O Panneerselvam who took charge as the chief minister but refused to sit in the CM’s chair. Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS, became the chief minister after AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was barred from holding political office by the Supreme Court.
In his stint as the CM from September 2001 to March 2002, OPS placed a photo of Jayalalithaa and discharged the CM’s duties.
That symbolism that he was ruling in Jayalalithaa’s behalf was conveyed on Monday by Atishi for Kejriwal. And the first message that was sent out was of loyalty.
There is another parallel between OPS and Atishi — both their chiefs had to vacate their chairs because of corruption taint. While Jayalalithaa was barred, Kejriwal vacated the chair of his volition with electoral dividends in mind.
Kejriwal wants to distance the AAP government in Delhi from the shadow of the excise policy case for which he and his deputy, Manish Sisodia, were in jail.
While campaigning in Haryana on Monday, on a day Atishi took charge as the Delhi chief minister, Kejriwal tried to burnish his image as squeaky clean. He emphasised how he vacated the CM’s chair when even a peon doesn’t give up his job.
Though Kejriwal is trying to distance himself from both the corruption case and the Delhi government, won’t an empty chair serve as a constant reminder of the person conspicuous by his absence? Won’t it bring to mind the reason behind his absence?
That the corruption charges might hinder Kejriwal’s return as a full-fledged CM soon was highlighted by the BJP.
“In a way, she (Atishi) is indicating that Arvind Kejriwal will not become the CM of Delhi for another 14 years because Bharat ji ruled Ayodhya in the name of Lord Ram for 14 years,” said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain latching on to Atishi’s remarks.
Kamaljeet Sehrawat, BJP MP from West Delhi, called it a stunt and stressed on the fact that being in the CM’s chair it was Atishi who had to take decisions.
However, Atishi had spelt out what her priorities were.
“I will work for the next few months towards the goal of bringing back Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister,” she said on September 17 in her first remarks as the CM-designate.
This brings us to the bigger question.
As the Chief Minister of Delhi, is Atishi supposed to be working for the people of Delhi or just one individual — Kejriwal?
Atishi has taken the oath of office and has around five months before Delhi heads to the polls.
There are crucial decisions to be made and departments to be run, and Atishi, unlike Kejriwal, is a chief minister with key portfolios. Then one can’t be smug, as Delhi approaches the smog days.
Delhi will be better off with a functional chief minister, not a chair-leader.