The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has unequivocally declared that if Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal faces arrest, he will continue to govern Delhi from jail, emphasizing the trust the people of Delhi have bestowed upon him. In a significant and resolute party meeting held at the Delhi Legislative Assembly, AAP leaders and legislators voiced their unwavering support for Kejriwal, who is currently under the shadow of potential arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Addressing the media after the meeting, Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted that there is no constitutional provision mandating the resignation of a Chief Minister if they are placed in jail for a trial. He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are primarily concerned with Kejriwal's growing popularity and the increasing strength of the AAP.
"The BJP has realized that they cannot defeat Arvind Kejriwal in elections, so they have resorted to manufacturing conspiracies against him," Bharadwaj said. He added, "Pressure is being created on how the Delhi Government will function if CM Arvind Kejriwal is arrested, and they are pressuring him to resign."
During the meeting, AAP legislators stressed that the people of Delhi have given their mandate to Arvind Kejriwal, not to any individual legislator or party. The legislators unanimously asserted that even if the Modi government attempts to incarcerate Chief Minister Kejriwal, they urge him not to resign.
Atishi, a senior AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister, echoed this sentiment, asserting that the trust of the people of Delhi should not be shattered by any false conspiracy. "No matter how long the Modi government tries to detain Arvind Kejriwal, the people of Delhi have chosen him as their Chief Minister, and he will continue to govern from jail," Atishi stated.
The party also discussed the possibility of approaching the court to seek permission for holding cabinet meetings in jail. They intend to maintain governance even in such challenging circumstances, with the Chief Minister running the Delhi government from behind bars, if necessary.
CM Arvind Kejriwal expressed his determination to uphold the responsibilities of his office, saying he will engage with AAP's councilors in Delhi, MLAs in Punjab, and the party's organizations nationwide to consider the proposals put forward by Delhi's MLAs.
In sum, the AAP has made it abundantly clear that it remains committed to delivering on its promises to the people of Delhi, regardless of the legal challenges and potential arrests that may arise in the days ahead. The party maintains that the people's mandate for Arvind Kejriwal's leadership should not be undermined by any means.