NEW DELHI: A day after suddenly announcing his decision to resign, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday held consultations with members of the AAP’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) on naming his successor. Sources said a meeting of the legislative party will be held on Tuesday morning, where the final decision will be announced.
“Today the CM had called a meeting of the PAC, in which all the cabinet ministers and senior party leaders were present. He discussed with everyone about the new CM. On Tuesday, there will be a meeting of the legislative party, in which the discussions will be taken to the second stage,” party leader and cabinet minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said.
During the PAC meeting at Kejriwal’s residence, the CM held one-on-one talks with senior leaders, taking their individual feedback on the next chief minister, Bhardwaj said.
Names of Kejriwal’s wife Sunita and ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Kailash Gahlot are doing the rounds.
Kejriwal, who was released from the jail on Friday after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the Delhi excise policy scam, said on Sunday that he will resign as chief minister in two days. He had added that the party will name his replacement in the next two-three days.
Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP president Virender Sachdeva said Kejriwal’s decision to resign was due to compulsion and not a matter of principle.
“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?” Sachdeva said.
He said Kejriwal has been talking about meeting the people since Sunday, but the BJP challenges him to go before the women of Delhi after having pushed millions of families into alcohol addiction.
CM to meet guv at 4.30 pm
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. He is likely to tender his resignation during the meeting.