In a significant political development, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal is expected to submit his resignation as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Tuesday. The announcement of his successor is likely to be announced simultaneously, marking a major shift in the leadership of Delhi’s government. However, this move has sparked political debates, with many questioning whether Kejriwal’s decision could end up being costly for him. History has shown that conflicts can arise between leaders within parties after such moves -- whether it was Jitan Ram Manjhi vs Nitish Kumar in Bihar or Champai Soren vs Hemant Soren in Jharkhand.
Could it prove costly for Kejriwal?
Kejriwal aims to gain public trust by announcing his resignation, but this step might prove risky. He made it clear that both he and Manish Sisodia are not in the running for the Chief Minister’s position, meaning someone else will be appointed as the new CM. The issue is that once someone takes the position of CM, they often don’t want to step down, leading to potential friction and disputes within the party. Such scenarios have been seen in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Manjhi in Bihar and Soren in Jharkhand: A political struggle
In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had vacated his seat for Jitan Ram Manjhi in 2014, but a significant political struggle later erupted between them. Almost a year later, Manjhi's refusal to step down as Chief Minister of Bihar for Nitish Kumar sparked a significant political commotion. Manjhi, who was handpicked by Nitish to succeed him, defied expectations by refusing to vacate the office when Nitish wanted to return. This defiance created a split within the Janata Dal (United). As Manjhi refused to comply, the JD(U) leadership expelled him from the party, leading to a bitter confrontation and political uncertainty in Bihar at the time.
A similar situation unfolded in Jharkhand this year. After being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, Hemant Soren gave up his chief ministership for senior party leader Champai Soren. However, when Hemant Soren tried to return after being granted bail from the court, intense internal conflicts arose within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), eventually turning Champai Soren into a dissenter. This political commotion prompted Champai Soren to resign from the JMM on August 29. A day later, the 67-year-old tribal leader also went on to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Kejriwal vows to return with 'certificate of honesty'
Days after being released from Tihar jail on bail in connection with the excise policy case, Kejriwal announced on Sunday (September 15) that he would step down from his position as Delhi’s Chief Minister within the next 48 hours. He also called for early elections in the national capital, emphasising his commitment to gaining the public's trust. In a bold statement, Kejriwal vowed not to return to the chief minister's chair until the people of Delhi granted him a "certificate of honesty."
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