Aam Aadmi Party boss Arvind Kejriwal quit as Delhi Chief Minister – in favour of colleague Atishi – Tuesday evening, capping a dramatic four days following his release on bail in the liquor policy case.
Mr Kejriwal met Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena – the centre’s rep in the national capital – at his residence to resign and recommend Atishi’s promotion. He was accompanied by his successor and also ex deputy Manish Sisodia, who too was arrested in the liquor policy case and is also out on bail.
Shortly afterwards a determined Atishi told reporters the AAP would work for the people of Delhi and to ensure victory in the Delhi election (and the return of Mr Kejriwal), whom she hailed as her “mentor”.
Earlier today the AAP said Atishi had been unanimously selected as leader of its legislative party, i.e., leader of its MLAs, and would replace Mr Kejriwal till the next Assembly election, which is due in February. Mr Kejriwal has, though, called for an early election, perhaps as soon as next month.
Speaking shortly afterwards, Atishi said Mr Kejriwal’s return will be the goal of her government and all AAP lawmakers. She appealed to voters to “make your son, your brother, Chief Minister again”.
“Arvind Kejriwal believed in me… AAP believed in me. That is why I have been given this responsibility. While I am happy in this trust, I am also sad Arvind Kejriwal had to resign,” the incoming Chief Minister told reporters, “Delhi has only one Chief Minister… and that is Kejriwal.”
She also vowed to defend the AAP against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “conspiracies”, accusing the opposition party of pursuing “fake charges’ against the outgoing Chief Minister; Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March, and again by the Central Bureau of Investigation in June, on money laundering and corruption charges linked to the liquor policy scam.
On Sunday, two days after leaving jail, Mr Kejriwal dropped a political bombshell, even surprising some within his own party. Mr Kejriwal – who has denied corruption charges and accused the BJP of framing him – said he would not govern Delhi till he gets “justice from the people’s court”.
“I got justice from the legal courts… now I will get justice from the people’s court. I want to ask the people of Delhi, is Kejriwal innocent or guilty? If I have worked, vote for me,” he declared.