Atishi stakes claim to form government in Delhi as Arvind Kejriwal resigns
Synopsis
Arvind Kejriwal has resigned as Delhi's Chief Minister and nominated Atishi as his successor. Atishi has been unanimously chosen by AAP lawmakers and will be sworn in during a special Assembly session.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday met Lt Governor VK Saxena and tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister of Delhi. Atishi, a senior AAP leader and minister, met with the Lieutenant Governor to assert her claim to the position after being selected by the party's lawmakers to be the next Chief Minister.
After meeting with the Lieutenant Governor, Atishi spoke to the media and stated, "This is the first time in the world's democratic history that a Chief Minister has decided that the Supreme Court's ruling is insufficient for him. He will not take the Chief Minister's chair until the people's court renders its decision."
"The people of Delhi have pledged to help Arvind Kejriwal ji win the next elections because they want him to become the Chief Minister. Kejriwal's resignation has hurt everyone of Delhi," she continued.
“The people of Delhi will today oath to make Arvind Kejriwal the Chief Minister, because he has given them a lot – free electricity, free water, free bus rides, and more, whereas the BJP, who is governing 22 states, has not given anything to the people,” she said.
Atishi's name was proposed by Kejriwal at the meeting of the legislature party, and it was unanimously accepted by the AAP MLAs. Sources said there would be no Deputy Chief Minister and Atishi, who represents the Kalkaji constituency, would take oath during a special Assembly session on September 26-27.
On September 13, Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail, where he had been lodged for his alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor policy case. Nearly two days after his release, on Sunday, Kejriwal said he would resign as the Chief Minister within 48 hours.
He also sought early polls in Delhi, and vowed not to sit in the chief minister’s chair until people gave him a “certificate of honesty”.
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