New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday that he will resign from his post in 48 hours. The announcement came just days after he was granted bail from Tihar Jail.
Kejriwal made the declaration during a morning party meeting, stating, “Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister.” He clarified that he would not hold the administrative position until the people of Delhi have delivered their verdict.
The Chief Minister also called for the Delhi Assembly elections, which are currently scheduled for February, to be moved to November to align with upcoming elections in Maharashtra. “I am here to ask people whether they consider Kejriwal to be guilty or innocent?” he said.
Kejriwal indicated that another member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will serve as Chief Minister until the elections are held. He criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that his imprisonment was a tactic to hinder his performance and that his only asset is his honesty.
Notably, Supreme Court granted Kejriwal bail on Friday following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy case. His bail comes with several conditions: he is prohibited from entering the Chief Minister’s office and the state secretariat, cannot sign government files without approval from the Lieutenant Governor, and is barred from making public statements on the case. Kejriwal has also been asked to pay a bond amount of Rs. 10 lakh and must cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Kejriwal’s legal troubles began with his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, 2024, over allegations of money laundering related to the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22. He was later arrested by the CBI on June 26, 2024. The ED alleged that funds from liquor sellers were used to finance the AAP’s campaign in Goa.
Prior to this, Kejriwal was granted interim bail in May 2024 for a brief period to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
