Arvind Kejriwal resigns as Delhi CM, Atishi stakes claim to form new govt

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal submitted his resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday, with AAP leader Atishi, selected by the party as his replacement, laying claim to forming a new government.

Kejriwal, accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, arrived at the LG Secretariat to resign on Tuesday afternoon, following his recent announcement about stepping down from his position.

After the meeting, Atishi told reporters, “We have staked our claim to form a new government. I will safeguard the interests of Delhi’s residents”.

Delhi minister Gopal Rai said, “We have informed the LG about Kejriwal’s resignation. Atishi has made her claim to form the government. We have requested the LG to set a date for the oath-taking ceremony to ensure that the work for two crore people continues”.

Atishi accused Kejriwal of being unfairly targeted by central government probe agencies. She stated, “The Supreme Court not only granted him relief but also made stern comments about the Centre and its probe agencies, calling them a ‘caged parrot.'”

She further commented, “If it had been another leader, they might have held onto the chief minister’s position. However, Kejriwal chose to resign and face the people. This is a difficult moment for us”.

Atishi also expressed confidence that the people of Delhi would re-elect Arvind Kejriwal as chief minister in the upcoming assembly elections.

Earlier in the day, Atishi was appointed as Kejriwal’s successor during an AAP legislature party meeting.

Also Read: Delhi: AAP’s Atishi to be Capital’s new CM

Kejriwal had announced his resignation on Sunday, stating he would only return to the chief minister’s role if the people awarded him a “certificate of honesty”. (With inputs from PTI)