New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday (September 15) that he would resign from his post. He said he would tender his resignation within two days.
Kejriwal said though the Supreme Court has granted him bail in the excise policy case, he has been barred from performing duties as the chief minister. Therefore, on the advice of his lawyers, he would quit. He made this announcement while addressing a rally of his party workers.
“Some people say that we will not be able to work because of restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court. Even they did not leave any stone unturned in imposing restrictions on us… If you think I am honest, vote for me in large numbers. I will sit on the chief minister’s chair only after being elected,” Kejriwal said as per ANI.
Also read: Supreme Court Grants Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Bail in CBI Case.
He added: “The elections are supposed to be held in February. I demand elections be held in November with Maharashtra elections… Till elections are held, someone else from the party will be the chief minister. In the next two-three days, a meeting of the MLAs will be held, where the next chief minister will be elected.”
As he made this announcement, people sitting in the rally stood up from their seats and said ‘no’ to his decision.
“I am being told that the case might stretch for ten years, or even longer. But now I would go to the court of the people. If people feel I am imaandaar (honest), and elect me again, only then I would return to the chair of chief minister,” Kejriwal stressed.
“With the blessings of the people, we have the strength to counter all the conspiracies of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). Today, we have been able to do so much for Delhi because we are honest,” he was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener said the next chief minister would be decided in the meeting of his party MLAs. He made it clear that neither him nor former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia would take the chief ministerial post until the next elections.
Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March this year. The court granted bail to Sisodia last month in the same excise policy case after he spent 17 months in jail.
