India
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says he will resign within 48 hours: What it means, what happens now and who will benefit | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: In a shock move, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday declared that he will resign within the next two days, fuelling speculation that the state assembly elections in the national capital will be held earlier than February 2025, when the current term of the Delhi Legislative Assembly ends. There is also the burning question of who the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will choose as the interim CM till the elections.
“I am going to resign as CM in two days. I am not going to sit on the CM chair. There are elections in Delhi in a few months and I want to appeal to the people. If you think Kejriwal is honest, vote for me,” Kejriwal told party workers, days after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the excise policy case.
“If you think Kejriwal is guilty, don’t vote for me. Every vote you cast is a certificate of my honesty. If you vote for me and declare that Kejriwal is honest, then I will sit on the CM’s chair only after the elections. Till then, I will not sit on the CM’s chair. I want to give ‘agnipariksha’ after I come out of jail,” he added.
“The Delhi elections are scheduled for February, but I demand that elections be held in the national capital in November like in Maharashtra,” he said.
Kejriwal further indicated that his deputy Manish Sisodia will also return to office only after the people give a verdict in his favour. “I will become the chief minister and Manish Sisodia the deputy CM only if people say we are fair,” the CM said.
Referring to the time when he resigned as Prime Minister in 2014 over the Jan Lokpal Bill, just 49 days after assuming power, Kejriwal said, “I resigned then because of my ideals. I have no lust for power.”Strategic move or big risk?
Kejriwal presented his recent announcement as a moral stand, suggesting that he would not take up the CM chair until he received a “certificate of honesty” from the voters.
According to election experts, the move is likely aimed at addressing growing concerns about corruption and governance under Kejriwal’s leadership and uniting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its supporters around a narrative of integrity and accountability.
Amit Palekar, chief of AAP Goa, said in a post on X: “Hats off to Mr @ArvindKejriwal for your decision to resign as Chief Minister, placing your political future in the hands of the public, is a powerful testament to your commitment to honest politics. Your appeal to the people of Delhi to decide your destiny through their votes, rather than clinging to power, underscores your integrity and transparency.”
However, Kejriwal’s resignation means that the party will have to appoint an interim prime minister and probably a deputy prime minister until the elections take place.
Choosing a CM for only a few months often led to a power struggle and major exits later, as happened recently in Jharkhand between JMM’s Hemant Soren and Champai Soren, and in Bihar in 2014 after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar wrested back the top seat from Jitan Ram Manjhi.Will early elections be held?
The term of the Delhi Legislative Assembly is currently set to end in February 2025.
However, the EC has the power to call early elections if it deems this necessary due to exceptional circumstances.
Kejriwal’s call for November 2024 elections aligns with the election calendar of other states such as Maharashtra and Jharkhand. This could give AAP a strategic advantage if it can tap into broader anti-establishment sentiment.
However, the EC has historically preferred to stick to set electoral timelines unless there is a compelling reason to intervene. The poll panel typically assesses the stability of governance.
The AAP currently has a majority in the legislative assembly, occupying as many as 62 of the 70 seats.
While Kejriwal’s resignation could create a political vacuum, it does not automatically mean immediate or even early elections.PR stunt, says BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has loudly criticised Kejriwal, describing his resignation as a “PR stunt” aimed at salvaging his image amid allegations of corruption.
The BJP has a well-established political infrastructure in Delhi and if elections are held, the party could benefit from a divided electorate, especially if internal dynamics within AAP lead to a weakened campaign.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Kejriwal wants to apply the “Sonia Gandhi model, where she made Manmohan Singh a fake prime minister and ran the government from behind the scenes”.
“This is a PR stunt by Arvind Kejriwal. He has understood that his image among the people of Delhi is not that of an honest leader but of a corrupt leader. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party is known as a corrupt party all over the country. With his PR stunt, he wants to restore his image… It is clear that he wants to follow the Sonia Gandhi model where she made Manmohan Singh a dummy prime minister and ran the government from behind the scenes. They have understood today that the Aam Aadmi Party is losing the elections in Delhi and the people of Delhi cannot vote in their name, so they want to make someone else their scapegoat,” Bhandari said.
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that Kejriwal is not sacrificing anything and has been forced to resign due to the Supreme Court verdict. Sirsa further alleged that Kejriwal had sought two days to convince all MLAs to appoint his wife as Delhi Chief Minister.
“Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will resign after two days and become CM again if he gets a verdict from the people… This is not a sacrifice, the Supreme Court in its order has said that he cannot go near the CM chair and cannot sign any files. That’s why you have no option, you have been forced to resign because of the SC order. The people gave their verdict 3 months ago when you asked ‘jail or bail’, you lost all 7 (Lok Sabha seats in Delhi) and were sent to jail… Now he has asked for a two-day extension because he is convincing all the MLAs to make his wife CM… He has been forced to vacate his seat because he is involved in the liquor racket,” Sirsa said.
“I am going to resign as CM in two days. I am not going to sit on the CM chair. There are elections in Delhi in a few months and I want to appeal to the people. If you think Kejriwal is honest, vote for me,” Kejriwal told party workers, days after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the excise policy case.
“If you think Kejriwal is guilty, don’t vote for me. Every vote you cast is a certificate of my honesty. If you vote for me and declare that Kejriwal is honest, then I will sit on the CM’s chair only after the elections. Till then, I will not sit on the CM’s chair. I want to give ‘agnipariksha’ after I come out of jail,” he added.
“The Delhi elections are scheduled for February, but I demand that elections be held in the national capital in November like in Maharashtra,” he said.
Kejriwal further indicated that his deputy Manish Sisodia will also return to office only after the people give a verdict in his favour. “I will become the chief minister and Manish Sisodia the deputy CM only if people say we are fair,” the CM said.
Referring to the time when he resigned as Prime Minister in 2014 over the Jan Lokpal Bill, just 49 days after assuming power, Kejriwal said, “I resigned then because of my ideals. I have no lust for power.”
Strategic move or big risk?
Kejriwal presented his recent announcement as a moral stand, suggesting that he would not take up the CM chair until he received a “certificate of honesty” from the voters.
According to election experts, the move is likely aimed at addressing growing concerns about corruption and governance under Kejriwal’s leadership and uniting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its supporters around a narrative of integrity and accountability.
Amit Palekar, chief of AAP Goa, said in a post on X: “Hats off to Mr @ArvindKejriwal for your decision to resign as Chief Minister, placing your political future in the hands of the public, is a powerful testament to your commitment to honest politics. Your appeal to the people of Delhi to decide your destiny through their votes, rather than clinging to power, underscores your integrity and transparency.”
However, Kejriwal’s resignation means that the party will have to appoint an interim prime minister and probably a deputy prime minister until the elections take place.
Choosing a CM for only a few months often led to a power struggle and major exits later, as happened recently in Jharkhand between JMM’s Hemant Soren and Champai Soren, and in Bihar in 2014 after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar wrested back the top seat from Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Will early elections be held?
The term of the Delhi Legislative Assembly is currently set to end in February 2025.
However, the EC has the power to call early elections if it deems this necessary due to exceptional circumstances.
Kejriwal’s call for November 2024 elections aligns with the election calendar of other states such as Maharashtra and Jharkhand. This could give AAP a strategic advantage if it can tap into broader anti-establishment sentiment.
However, the EC has historically preferred to stick to set electoral timelines unless there is a compelling reason to intervene. The poll panel typically assesses the stability of governance.
The AAP currently has a majority in the legislative assembly, occupying as many as 62 of the 70 seats.
While Kejriwal’s resignation could create a political vacuum, it does not automatically mean immediate or even early elections.
PR stunt, says BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has loudly criticised Kejriwal, describing his resignation as a “PR stunt” aimed at salvaging his image amid allegations of corruption.
The BJP has a well-established political infrastructure in Delhi and if elections are held, the party could benefit from a divided electorate, especially if internal dynamics within AAP lead to a weakened campaign.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Kejriwal wants to apply the “Sonia Gandhi model, where she made Manmohan Singh a fake prime minister and ran the government from behind the scenes”.
“This is a PR stunt by Arvind Kejriwal. He has understood that his image among the people of Delhi is not that of an honest leader but of a corrupt leader. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party is known as a corrupt party all over the country. With his PR stunt, he wants to restore his image… It is clear that he wants to follow the Sonia Gandhi model where she made Manmohan Singh a dummy prime minister and ran the government from behind the scenes. They have understood today that the Aam Aadmi Party is losing the elections in Delhi and the people of Delhi cannot vote in their name, so they want to make someone else their scapegoat,” Bhandari said.
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that Kejriwal is not sacrificing anything and has been forced to resign due to the Supreme Court verdict. Sirsa further alleged that Kejriwal had sought two days to convince all MLAs to appoint his wife as Delhi Chief Minister.
“Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will resign after two days and become CM again if he gets a verdict from the people… This is not a sacrifice, the Supreme Court in its order has said that he cannot go near the CM chair and cannot sign any files. That’s why you have no option, you have been forced to resign because of the SC order. The people gave their verdict 3 months ago when you asked ‘jail or bail’, you lost all 7 (Lok Sabha seats in Delhi) and were sent to jail… Now he has asked for a two-day extension because he is convincing all the MLAs to make his wife CM… He has been forced to vacate his seat because he is involved in the liquor racket,” Sirsa said.
