Will hold ‘referendum’ on whether Kejriwal should quit as CM, says AAP

This comes after ED had asked Kejriwal to appear before it on November 2 in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that it will hold a referendum of party workers from the Capital, Punjab, and other parts of the country on whether Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 2 in connection with the excise policy case, should step down from his post, or if he should continue to serve as CM and run the government from jail.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (HT PHOTO)

“AAP will hold street meetings in Delhi and across the country, and will go from house to house to hold a referendum,” AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said after Kejriwal met the party’s councillors.

“The CM listened to the councillors. He assured us that he would consider this matter. In the meeting, the CM mentioned that he would also discuss this matter with the AAP’s organization in Punjab and across the country. After that, a decision will be made on this issue. Along with this, in today’s meeting, it was decided that referendums will be conducted in Delhi and the entire country on the same matter. People will be engaged in a public dialogue to decide whether Arvind Kejriwal should resign as Delhi CM or run the government from Tihar jail. AAP councillors and MLAs will gather people’s opinions by conducting campaigns across the country,” said Pathak.

Kejriwal did not comment on the issue.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, accused the AAP of creating drama over the ED summons.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “For last two days, AAP is trying to create an impression that Kejriwal is a living martyr, but AAP leaders should know that Delhi residents know that Kejriwal is involved in the liquor scam. It appears that karma is haunting Kejriwal as he knows that the money trail of the scam will land at his doorstep, so he is now calling his elected representatives to meetings to keep the flock together.”

ED on October 30 asked Kejriwal to appear before it on November 2 in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Kejriwal skipped the summons, calling them “illegal” and travelled to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh to address a rally, alleging that the federal anti-money laundering agency was acting at the behest of the BJP to malign his image.

On Monday, the AAP legislative group in Delhi reiterated their support for Kejriwal in a meeting, claiming that the Delhi government will be run from Tihar jail and cabinet meetings will be held from prison if Kejriwal is arrested by investigative agencies.