Arvind Kejriwal, reluctant to resign in jail, set to step down as Delhi chief minister today | 10 points

Four days after his release from Tihar Jail in the Delhi excise policy case, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal is expected to resign as Delhi chief minister on Tuesday, September 17.

Arvind Kejriwal is likely to submit his resignation to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and also propose the name of his successor before the elections in the national capital.

The AAP held a series of meetings to discuss potential candidates for the chief minister’s post, a day before party MLAs are set to meet and finalise Arvind Kejriwal’s successor.

The current term of the Delhi Assembly is set to expire on February 11, 2025. The last assembly election in Delhi was held on February 8, 2020.

10 updates on Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation:

Arvind Kejriwal met senior leaders, including former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha, about the party’s choice for chief minister.

Reports suggest Delhi ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, and Saurabh Bharadwaj are front-runners for the top post, with Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel also being considered.

Arvind Kejriwal will meet the lieutenant governor at 4:30 pm today, Tuesday and is likely to tender his resignation. He has vowed not to sit in the chief minister’s chair till people gave him a “certificate of honesty”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also scheduled to hold a legislative party meeting at 11:30 am to zero in on its pick for chief ministerial choice.

BJP has said Kejriwal’s decision to resign as chief minister was borne out of “compulsion” and not driven by “principle”.

There is speculation that AAP might nominate a Dalit or Muslim legislator for the chief minister’s post to appeal to the electorate ahead of the assembly polls, given the presence of 12 reserved constituencies and several seats with substantial minority populations.

Kejriwal has sought one-on-one feedback from each leader on his replacement.

Sisodia has already announced that he will campaign alongside Kejriwal, seeking votes based on honesty and will not assume any official post.

Among the front-runners for the chief ministerial post, Atishi stands out due to her management of multiple key portfolios, including education, finance, revenue and law.

While in jail for the Delhi excise policy case, Arvind Kejriwal resolutely refused to resign as chief minister.