NEW DELHI: Less than two days after he was released from jail on bail in the excise policy case, with conditions imposed on his functioning as chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal took everyone by surprise when he announced he would be resigning soon and sought early elections in the capital. Declaring that he will not sit in the CM's chair unless people gave him a "certificate of honesty", Kejriwal told his party workers at the AAP headquarters on Sunday he would quit after two days with someone else from the party taking over as CM after a meeting of the legislative party. He ruled out former deputy CM Manish Sisodia succeeding him.
He was accompanied by his wife, Sunita. The entire cabinet will have to resign with him. The new leader of the legislative party will stake claim to form govt and pick a new council of ministers who will take oath of office.
Majority will then have to be proved on the floor of the House. Kejriwal said he would become CM and Manish Sisodia his deputy "only when people say we are honest". " Delhi elections are due in Feb (2025) but I demand that the elections be held in Nov along with Maharashtra.
..I will sit in the CM's chair only after people give me a certificate of honesty.
I want to go through the 'agni pariksha' (trial by fire) after coming out of jail," he said, referring to Sita undergoing the test after Lord Ram and she returned from exile. Experts, however, claimed that Kejriwal cannot call for early elections without first recommending disso.