Should Kejriwal resign if arrested? AAP to ask Delhi

The BJP hit back, saying the AAP should be prepared to answer questions about the government’s “failures”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday announced that it will launch a signature campaign seeking public feedback on whether Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal should resign if he is arrested, or whether he should continue to run the government from jail.

New Delhi, India - Nov. 30, 2023: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai with AAP leader Raghav Chadha with others addresses a press conference at AAP office, in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, November 30, 2023. (Photo by Sanjeev Verma/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The campaign, called “Main Bhi Kejriwal” (I am also Kejriwal), will be carried out from December 1-20, party officials said, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was conspiring to implicate Kejriwal in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise police 2021-22 with the intention of weakening the AAP.

The BJP hit back, saying the AAP should be prepared to answer questions about the government’s “failures” with respect to development work in Delhi.

Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai, addressing a press conference, said that as part of the signature campaign, volunteers will carry pamphlets and collect signatures across 2,600 polling stations in the Capital. “Our ministers, MLAs, councillors and volunteers will visit houses in 2600 polling stations to take their feedback. Between December 21 and 24, our MLAs and councillors will hold public meetings to gauge public opinion,” he said.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha, also present at the press conference, alleged that the BJP has jailed AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh in fake cases. “BJP only wants that Arvind Kejriwal should resign and the Delhi government should come to a standstill. All party leaders have appealed to the chief minister to not resign in case of an arrest, even if the cabinet meetings have to be held in jail, whether important decisions have to be taken from jail, or officers have to go to jail with files. The AAP does not take any of its decisions without consulting the public. That is why the AAP is going to start this signature campaign,” he said.

Referendums have been a vital part of the AAP’s and Kejriwal’s politics. The party made its poll debut in 2013 and subsequently held a referendum to ask the people if it should form government with support from the Congress. The AAP formed the government but resigned in February 2014, as differences arose between the coalition partners.

Later, in June 2016, Kejriwal announced that the AAP will hold a referendum on whether Delhi should be granted full statehood. Article 239 AA of the Constitution provides special status to Delhi as Union Territory with an elected legislative assembly.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, meanwhile, said the AAP should respond to questions raised about the government. “AAP leaders should be prepared to answer people’s questions on how AAP leaders did the liquor scam, the DJB scam, the tanker scam, the panic button scam, the school room scam, and why AAP leaders have played with the lives of civil defence volunteers, guest teachers, para medical staff, and other contractual employees. The chief minster should educate his workers on what would they say on the AAP government’s failure on carrying out development in Delhi,” he said.

The Delhi 2021-22 excise policy was rolled out in November 2021, marking the exit of the Delhi government from retail sales of alcohol and allowing private companies to bid for licences. The objective, the Delhi government said, was to improve the buying experience for citizens by allowing market competition to raise standards.

But the policy was scrapped when lieutenant governor VK Saxena asked for an investigation, citing a report by the chief secretary, who alleged irregularities. The AAP and the Capital’s elected government have rejected the charges, alleging it to be a ploy by the BJP-led Union government to target its rival.

The Enforcement Directorate , in one of its charge sheets filed in the case said the excise policy was Kejriwal’s “brainchild”, and summoned him for questioning on November 2. Kejriwal dismissed the summons as illegal, and skipped the summons, saying the agency didn’t clarify whether he was called as witness or accused, as Delhi CM or the AAP chief.