Following a Delhi court’s decision to remand Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in judicial custody until April 15, Delhi Minister Atishi has added in on his detainment, emphasizing that there is no valid reason for him to step down from his position as Delhi Chief Minister.
Presently, Kejriwal is confined in Tihar Jail following the court’s ruling.
#KejriwalJailed | Atishi holds a Press Conference today and says that ‘Arvind Kejriwal Enjoys the Overwhelming Majority of Delhi Assembly and therefore there is no reason for him to resign from the post of Delhi CM’
Watch the full telecast on #NewsX with@piamann_ pic.twitter.com/K7t3BUdDV4
— NewsX World (@NewsX) April 2, 2024
In response to inquiries regarding Kejriwal’s potential resignation, Atishi, a Delhi Minister and AAP member, highlighted two constitutional and legal provisions relevant to the matter. She cited the Representation of the People Act, which stipulates that a public representative cannot continue in office if convicted for more than two years, asserting that Kejriwal has not been convicted.
Atishi Singh emphasized that Kejriwal’s resignation would play into the hands of the BJP, potentially leading to the downfall of the AAP government. She underscored that Kejriwal commands a significant majority in the Delhi Assembly, thus there is no justification for him to resign.
During a press briefing, Atishi also raised allegations that someone close to her had warned her to either align with the BJP or prepare for potential arrest by the Enforcement Directorate within a month.
She further claimed that three other AAP members, including Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, MLA Durgesh Pathak, and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, faced similar risks of arrest.
Atishi claimed that the BJP had reached out to her via one of her associates, urging her to join their party in order to safeguard her political future.
“The BJP approached me through one of my close associates, suggesting that joining their party would protect my political career. They warned that if I didn’t join the BJP, I would face arrest by the Enforcement Directorate within the next month,” she alleged.
She mentioned that the Enforcement Directorate brought up this issue after a significant delay because the BJP intends to incarcerate the next tier of leadership within the AAP.
She continued to assert: “The motive behind bringing up this matter is that the BJP now perceives that even with Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain in custody, the Aam Aadmi Party remains cohesive and resilient. Consequently, they are strategizing to detain the subsequent level of leadership within the Aam Aadmi Party.”
