Arvind Kejriwal resignation: Key AAP chief-Manish Sisodia meeting today
A day after announcing his resignation as the chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal is set to meet with his former deputy, Manish Sisodia. The meeting will take place at Kejriwal's official residence in Civil Lines and is expected to focus on potential successors for the chief minister position. "This will be the first meeting after the decision by them," an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.
Kejriwal's resignation announcement
During his resignation announcement, Kejriwal stated that he would convene a meeting of AAP MLAs in the next few days to select his successor. However, he ruled out Sisodia as a potential candidate for this role. Following this surprise announcement, speculation has been rife about possible replacements with names like Sunita Kejriwal (Arvind's wife), and Delhi ministers Atishi and Gopal Rai being mentioned frequently.
Kejriwal's arrest and subsequent bail
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, 2024, in connection with a money laundering case. He was released from jail last Friday after the Supreme Court granted him regular bail. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has described Kejriwal's resignation as a "drama" and a "confession of crime," suggesting that he quit due to restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on his access to the CM's Office.
Political reactions and upcoming assembly elections
The current term of the Delhi Assembly is set to expire on February 11, 2025. However, Kejriwal has called for early elections in November. The last assembly election in Delhi was held on February 8, 2020, where AAP secured a majority with 62 seats in the 70-member assembly. Amidst this political turmoil, both Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva have voiced their opinions on Kejriwal's resignation announcement.
