New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said he will resign from the post after two days and would demand early polls in the national capital as he vowed not to sit in CM's chair till people give him a "certificate of honesty".
The Delhi CM made the significant announcement during his address to the AAP workers here, his first after release on Friday from Tihar, following the Supreme Court granting him bail in the excise policy case. "I am going to resign after 2 days; ask people whether I am honest; till they respond, won't sit on CM's chair," Kejriwal said.
"I will only sit on CM's chair after people give me a certificate of honesty; want to give 'agnipariksha' after coming out of jail," he said, adding: "Delhi elections are due in February (2025) but I demand elections in national capital be held in November (2024) with Maharashtra." "I will become chief minister, Sisodia deputy CM only when people say we are honest," he said.
The AAP supremo said he will hold a meeting of AAP MLAs in the next few days after which an "AAP leader will take over as CM". Slamming the BJP government, Kejriwal said, "They slap false cases against non-BJP CMs and only AAP can stand up to their conspiracies". "If held, I urge such CMs not to resign," Kejriwal said, adding "I didn't resign (after arrest) because I respect democracy; Constitution supreme for me."
"I wrote only one letter to L-G from Tihar, was issued a warning," the AAP supremo said as he referred to letters written by freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in British captivity. "Our freedom fighters allowed meetings with colleagues, but my party colleague Sandeep Pathak was not allowed to meet me," the Delhi CM said.
Referring to the BJP, Kejriwal said their "conspiracies could not break our rock-like courage". "We are among you again. We will keep fighting for the country like this, we just need the support of all of you," he said.
Referring to him quitting the chief minister's post in 2014 over the Jan Lokpal Bill, just 49 days after assuming power, Kejriwal said, "I resigned then for my ideals. I do not have a lust for power." Saying that the excise policy case would go on for long, the chief minister said he wanted to ask the people of Delhi whether he is honest or guilty.
He asked people to vote in his favour only if they considered him honest. "For me, the BJP is not important, people are important," he said. "Our leaders Satyendar Jain and Amanatullah Khan are still in jail. I hope they come out soon," the chief minister told AAP workers here as he thanked God "who was with us through difficulties."
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