India politician Arvind Kejriwal to resign as Delhi Chief Minister after receiving bail in graft case News
RAJINDER PAL SINGH BRAR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
India politician Arvind Kejriwal to resign as Delhi Chief Minister after receiving bail in graft case

Indian opposition figure and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday that he will resign from his post, just days after being released from prison on bail. Kejriwal, who was detained for nearly six months in connection with a corruption scandal involving the Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy, declared that he will not return to the Chief Minister’s chair unless he secures a fresh mandate from the people.

“I will not sit on the Chief Minister’s seat again until the people of Delhi give me a certificate of honesty,” Kejriwal stated in a rally held at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters. He called for an early election in Delhi, asking for it to be held alongside the Maharashtra elections slated for November, rather than in February 2025 as originally scheduled.

Kejriwal stated that a high-level AAP meeting will soon be convened to appoint a new leader to serve as interim Chief Minister until fresh elections are conducted. The Chief Minister also noted that his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, who was also implicated in the excise policy case, will not assume the role.

Kejriwal’s release on bail followed nearly six months of detention on charges of corruption linked to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The case, investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), alleges kickbacks and bribes received by AAP leaders. Kejriwal has consistently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to respond, accusing Kejriwal of staging a “drama” and calling his resignation a “confession of his crime.” BJP spokespersons argued that Kejriwal’s resignation is a result of the Supreme Court’s conditional bail, which restricts him from accessing his office or signing government files.

Kejriwal’s resignation has marked not only a critical juncture for AAP, but has also set the stage for a highly charged electoral battle. The BJP has announced plans to intensify its campaign in the capital, while Kejriwal and his party prepare to contest the allegations in court and seek a renewed mandate from Delhi’s electorate.

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