AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal chaired a ‘Politics Affairs Committee’ (PAC) meeting on Monday to discuss the appointment of a new Chief Minister.
Senior leaders, including cabinet ministers, were present as CM Arvind Kejriwal sought feedback on the transition. On Tuesday, the AAP legislative party will continue the discussion, with CM Arvind Kejriwal expected to meet the Lieutenant Governor (LG) later that evening to officially tender his resignation.
Sharing the details from the AAP’s PAC meeting, senior AAP leader and cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said “Kejriwal discussed the issue of the new Chief Minister of Delhi one by one with the PAC members and ministers present in the meeting and took feedback from them. On Tuesday, there will be a meeting of the AAP’s Legislative Party and Chief Minister will put forth the discussion held in the PAC meeting among the MLAs and a decision will be taken on the new Chief Minister of Delhi,”.
Days after being released from Tihar jail on bail in the excise policy case, the AAP national convenor said on Sunday that he would resign within 48 hours and sought early polls in Delhi. He vowed not to sit in the chief minister’s chair till people gave him a ”certificate of honesty”.
Earlier in the day, the AAP supremo met senior leaders, including former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha, about the party’s choice for chief minister.
Kejriwal will meet the lieutenant governor at 4:30 pm on Tuesday and is likely to tender his resignation. Before this meeting, AAP will hold a legislative party meeting at 11:30 am to zero in on its pick for chief minister.
Talking to reporters after the political affairs committee meeting, Bharadwaj said Kejriwal held ”one-on-one talks” with party leaders to get their feedback on his successor.
”He (Kejriwal) sought one-on-one feedback from each leader on his replacement. Tomorrow (Tuesday), the legislative party meeting is there and this discussion will go into the second round,” Bharadwaj said.
The BJP on Monday said Kejriwal’s decision to resign as chief minister was borne out of ”compulsion” and not driven by ”principle”. The saffron party has described his move as ”drama” and a ”confession of crime” and wondered if he had offered to quit because of infighting in AAP.
”The decision to resign was a compulsion for Arvind Kejriwal, not driven by principle. The Supreme Court has clearly pointed out that he cannot go to his office, cannot sign any file, then what choice did Kejriwal have?” the BJP’ Delhi president Virender Sachdeva asked.
Addressing party workers on Sunday, Kejriwal sought polls in the national capital in November. The Delhi Assembly’s term ends on February 23 and the polls are expected to be held some time in early February.
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Kejriwal holds series of meetings to finalise successor ahead of Tuesday resignation
