AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal handed in his resignation to Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday, two days after he announced his decision to step down from the post. Kejriwal tendered his resignation at the L-G's office, shortly after AAP leader Atishi was announced as his replacement as the Delhi Chief Minister. Kejriwal announced his resignation soon after he was released from jail, over five months after he was arrested in the Delhi liquor scam case. Kejriwal shocked the nation as he called for early elections in the national capital, saying that he would sit on the Chief Minister's chair only after the people of Delhi put him back.
"Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister. I will not sit on that chair till the people announce their verdict. Elections in Delhi are months away. I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people's court. I will sit on the Chief Minister's chair only after the order of the people," Kejriwal said.
Coming out after the meeting, AAP minister Gopal Rai, said, "Arvind Kejriwal has submitted his resignation to Delhi LG… All MLAs have together decided upon nominating Atishi as the new CM… Atishi has staked claim to form the government."
Meanwhile, newly-appointed CM Atishi said, "The Centre has always attacked the Aam Aadmi Party. Till the elections are not held, Arvind Kejriwal has given me this responsibility. I have two responsibilities – How we will make Kejriwal CM again and to make sure policies are implemented."
AAP lauded Kejriwal's move, with minister Aman Arora saying, "Arvind Kejriwal has established a new chapter of accountability today…In a democracy the public's mandate is supreme and he has decided again to go among the public…BJP tried a lot to break the Aam Aadmi Party but they were unsuccessful to do so…If there is any truth in BJP's allegations they should call early elections in October and let the people decide who is honest and dishonest….For AAP ethics are more important than the Chief Minister's chair."
Meanwhile, the BJP referred to Kejriwal's move as a "PR stunt".
"This resignation of kejriwal is just an eyewash. After the bail conditions kejriwal anyhow couldn't function as CM. The damage that Kejriwal has done to Delhi is beyond repair. For Kejriwal, his ego is of prime importance," BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, "This so-called 'two-day leave request' is nothing but a smart act of transferring assets. Rather than this drama, Kejriwal should have sacked his Cabinet and addressed the corruption allegations against his government."
He added, "He talks about honesty? Young students have died due to waterlogging, and there's no free electricity. Instead, electricity bills have increased by 25%. There is a severe water crisis in the national capital. He talks about about improvements in education and healthcare, but there is a shortage of medicines. There are no ICU facilities, and fake medicines are found in government hospitals. Why has all of this happened? Because your government is corrupt."
(With inputs from agencies)