NEW DELHI : Reiterating his assertion on resignation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that if he resigns, the democracy in the country would be in danger. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants me to give up because he knows they can’t defeat me in Delhi,” added the AAP convenor.
In an interview to a private TV channel, Kejriwal, who is out on bail in an alleged liquor scam case, said that if he succumbs, the next target would be the chief ministers of West Bengal and Kerala Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan, respectively.
“This is what Narendra Modi wants. He knows that he cannot defeat Kejriwal in elections and that is why he has conspired; Arrest Kejriwal, he would resign. If I resign today, their next target will be West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan. If I resign today, the democracy of the country will come under threat,” said Kejriwal.
He reasoned for not giving up the CMship of the national capital. He said that he is not greedy for any post. “I left my job as an income tax manager to work in Delhi’s slums. I resigned as Delhi CM in 49 days. But today I will not leave this position because this is a part of my struggle. I am not resigning. In every state, wherever Modiji will face defeat, he will get the CM of the state arrested,” the AAP chief stated.
The interview was telecast on the channel on the eve of six phase polling. The citizens of the national capital will also vote on Saturday.
As per the condition of the intern bail granted to the CM, he will have to surrender on June 2. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. He was granted interim bail by the apex Court on May 10 to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking about the possibility of his wife Sunita Kejriwal joining politics, he said that during the emergency situation—when he was in jail—she served as a link between the people of Delhi and him.
“She (Sunita) doesn’t have any interest in active politics, nor she wants to contest elections. If they keep me in jail, I will contest the election from jail and the AAP will win all 70 seats,” Kejriwal said.