In a rare gesture, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena praised Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday, and said she is “a thousand times better” than her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal. The praise of Atishi comes amidst a backdrop of political friction between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the LG over a range of issues, including governance, air pollution, and control of bureaucracy ever since he attained the office at Raj Niwas.

These remarks have set the political circles abuzz about the CM’s future since her former cabinet colleague Kailash Gehlot, once close to AAP supremo, was also reportedly favoured by the L-G who just quit the party and joined BJP.

LG Saxena made the remarks during the convocation ceremony of the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women in the national Capital. “I am happy today that Delhi’s CM is a woman, and I can confidently say that she is a thousand times better than her predecessor,” the L-G said, glancing at Atishi who was present during the convocation ceremony and also addressed the students.

In his speech, Saxena told the students, “As you move ahead, you have four guiding stars. First is your responsibility towards yourself, the second is your responsibility towards your parents and family while the third responsibility is towards the society and nation building.”

“The fourth responsibility is to prove yourself as women who have broken the glass ceiling of gender and stand on par with others in all fields,” he said.

“Young bright women graduating today will be breaking barriers, redefining gender roles, and stepping into a rapidly changing world with technical expertise and determination. Their bright, young minds are a testament to the innovation and resilience needed to lead in this era of transformation,” L-G said on social media platform.

“These young women carry not only the promise of bright futures but also a new-found responsibility to contribute to their parents and families, society, and nation-building. This convocation marks a celebration of progress and the vital role women play in shaping a technologically advanced and equitable future,” he mentioned.

The AAP and BJP have been at loggerheads over a range of issues, including governance, air pollution, and control of bureaucracy. Recently, Raj Niwas and the AAP led Delhi government were at loggerheads over the issue of reemployment of over 10,000 civil defence volunteers to tackle air pollution.

Kejriwal tendered his resignation in September and said that he would seek a “certificate of honesty” from the public in light of the corruption charges he faced. Kejriwal had proposed Atishi’s name as the chief minister at a meeting of the legislature party and it was unanimously accepted.  The roots of the recent confrontation can be traced back to March 5, 2014, when 14 AAP members, including leaders, former journalist Ashutosh (then party member) and Shazia Ilmi, were arrested following clashes outside the BJP national headquarters.

The altercation left 28 people injured, including 13 AAP activists and 10 BJP supporters. The clashes were sparked by protests against the detention of Kejriwal in Gujarat on March 4, 2014.

Meanwhile, Atishi, in her address, expressed her appreciation for IGDTUW’s role in providing qualified professionals across diverse fields in this era of technological advancements.

In the first week of August, in a letter to the LG, Kejriwal, the then CM, had said his cabinet colleague Atishi would hoist the national flag in his place during the Delhi government’s Independence Day programme but LG nominated Gahlot to do the honours.

In an earlier tweet, LG had targeted the AAP government saying, “During the inspection of Rangpuri, Aya Nagar, Jaunapur area of South Delhi on the repeated requests of local residents. A horrific example of failure and mismanagement of the local government was once again seen. The mess of electric wires hanging dangerously, women holding pipes in their hands for drinking water, open manholes, heaps of garbage and sewer water flowing in the streets is unforgivable. The mismanagement that was seen here was also seen during the inspection of North-East Delhi and North-West Delhi”.