Kejriwal set to step down: AAP prepares to choose successor amid Delhi's political shift

Following Arvind Kejriwal's resignation announcement from the chief minister's post, Delhi's political landscape has been shaken, with the Opposition claiming it to be a gimmick.

Discussions have begun on who will succeed him and the spotlight is now on key Aam Aadmi Party leaders for the top role.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that it is a forced decision by Kejriwal, as the Supreme Court in its judgment while granting him bail in the Delhi Excise Policy case, barred him from visiting the Delhi secretariat or signing any files except those required to be sent to the lieutenant government for approval.

However, Kejriwal and his party have maintained that he will resign and resume office only when there is a public mandate to choose him while calling for early Delhi assembly polls.

“All the work of the government can be done...the chief minister is allowed to sign all the files supposed to be sent to the lieutenant government. Since Kejriwal formed the government in 2015 with a full majority, many restrictions have been imposed...but despite that he delivered. All these are illogical arguments of the BJP,” said AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.

“There is eagerness for early elections and for re-electing Kejriwal," he added. Now that Arvind Kejriwal has made the big announcement, it remains to be seen who in the AAP will get to don the chief minister's hat.

Senior party leader and former deputy CM Manish Sisodia met Kejriwal at his residence on Sep 16 and there are speculations that the two leaders must have spoken about the party's chief minister choice.

Assembly polls in Delhi are due in February next year, but Kejriwal has demanded that the election be held in November along with the Maharashtra polls.

Sisodia, who was also arrested in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy graft case and was recently given bail, has clarified that he will also resume his role only after re-election.

This shows that the top leadership of AAP are not in the race for the Chief Minister's post.

Although the yet to be chosen Delhi CM will have a short stint, the party will likely choose a prominent face who represents its values.

One of the first names that come is Delhi Minister Atishi, who holds key portfolios such as education and PWD.

The party's MLA from Kalkaji, she has worked extensively to restructured education in Delhi's schools. The 43-year-old leader has been holding the fort since the party's top leadership was arrested in the corruption case linked to the now-scrapped liquor policy.

Next in the race is a three-time MLA from Greater Kailash, Saurabh Bharadwaj. He holds portfolios such as vigilance and health in Delhi's AAP government. He was named a minister after Sisodia's arrest in the liquor policy case.

Along with them, Raghav Chadha is another prominent name that could make the cut for Delhi's next chief minister. A member of the AAP's national executive and political affairs committee, Chadha is AAP's Rajya Sabha MP. A Chartered Accountant, Chadha has been a part of AAP since the beginning.

He is the MLA from Rajinder Nagar and has played a key role in the AAP's victory in Punjab in the 2022 state polls. The 35-year-old is one of the prominent young politicians in the country and is known for representing AAP's position on important issues in Parliament.

Meanwhile, AAP on Sep 16, said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will resign on Sep 17 before the legislative wing of the party elects his successor. The party has clarified that the entire process will take a week.

“Tomorrow is the first working day [after a public holiday on Monday]...Kejriwal will submit his resignation. As soon as the resignation is accepted, a meeting of the legislative party will be held to elect the new leader. The chief minister-elect will stake his claim to form the government and send it to the president through the lieutenant governor,” said Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.