Responding to the criticism over not stepping down as the Chief Minister despite being lodged at Tihar Jail, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (May 11) said that it was a message to the BJP-led Centre that he is “fighting against the dictatorship” and the “conspiracy hatched” to sent him to jail in a “fake case”. He said that the BJP conspired to put him behind bars and topple his government in Delhi where “no party can defeat AAP in next 20 years”, which is why he “will not resign and run democracy from jail”.
His remarks came while addressing a press conference, a day after he walked out of the Tihar Jail following the Supreme Court’s order granting him interim bail to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections.
What did Kejriwal say?
“When I was in jail, some people raised the issue of why does not Kejriwal resign as Chief Minister. Kejriwal does not have greed for any post. I quit the job of Income Tax Commissioner and worked for people of Delhi for 10 years. When I became the CM for the first time, I resigned in 49 days. Why didn't I resign today? The BJP knows that they cannot defeat us in Delhi. Nobody can defeat AAP in Delhi in the next 20 years,” he said.
“They hatched a conspiracy to send me to jail in a fake case. Kejriwal will have to resign and his government will fall. They hatched a conspiracy, so I decided I will also not resign. If you put democracy behind bars, we will run democracy from jail. We will run the government from jail. We will not come in your trap,” Kejriwal added.
Hemant Soren should not have resigned: Kejriwal
He noted that former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, who was arrested in alleged land scam, should also not have stepped down from the post and run the government from the jail.
“Hemant Soren should also not have resigned and run the government from jail. If we resign, it's good for them. The state where they cannot win, they will put the chief minister behind bars and topple the government. If am not resigning from jail, understand that I am fighting against the dictatorship,” he said.
NDA govt not returning on June 4: Kejriwal
Kejriwal claimed that the NDA is losing its seats in several seats and is speculated to win nearly 230, thus falling short of the majority mark in the 2024 elections.
"Their (NDA) government is not being formed after June 4…Their seats are decreasing everywhere in Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, UP, Delhi, Karnataka, West Bengal and Jharkhand. It is also being speculated that they are getting 220-230 seats. INDIA government is being formed at the centre. AAP will be a part of it, we will give Delhi the status of complete statehood. LG of Delhi will belong to the people of Delhi, the current LG has just come from Gujarat..." he said.
Kejriwal is out on interim bail and he will have to surrender on June 2.
