Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor, submitted his resignation as Delhi Chief Minister to Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday. This resignation comes just two days after he announced his intention to step down. Following this, AAP leader Atishi was named as his successor for the Chief Minister’s role.
Kejriwal’s decision to resign came shortly after he was released from jail, where he had been held for over five months in connection with the Delhi liquor scam case. In a surprising move, Kejriwal called for early elections in the national capital, stating that he would only return to the Chief Minister’s chair if the people of Delhi re-elected him. “Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister. I will not sit on 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 on the Chief Minister’s chair only after the order of the people,” said Kejriwal.
AAP Minister Gopal Rai confirmed that Kejriwal has submitted his resignation and emphasized the party’s commitment to the public’s mandate. The AAP praised Kejriwal’s decision, with Minister Aman Arora stating, “Arvind Kejriwal has established a new chapter of accountability today…In a democracy, the public’s mandate is supreme and he has decided again to go among the public…BJP tried a lot to break the Aam Aadmi Party but they were unsuccessful to do so…If there is any truth in BJP’s allegations they should call early elections in October and let the people decide who is honest and dishonest….For AAP, ethics are more important than the Chief Minister’s chair.”
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) referred to Kejriwal’s resignation as a “PR stunt.” BJP leader Manoj Tiwari commented, “This resignation of Kejriwal is just an eyewash. After the bail conditions, Kejriwal anyhow couldn’t function as CM. The damage that Kejriwal has done to Delhi is beyond repair. For Kejriwal, his ego is of prime importance.” Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva added, “This so-called ‘two-day leave request’ is nothing but a smart act of transferring assets. Rather than this drama, Kejriwal should have sacked his Cabinet and addressed the corruption allegations against his government.” Sachdeva also criticized Kejriwal’s administration on various issues, including waterlogging, electricity tariffs, and the availability of healthcare and medicines, blaming the government for corruption.
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Kejriwal’s resignation and call for early elections mark a significant development in Delhi’s political landscape, with the AAP and BJP presenting contrasting narratives on his decision and its implications.