 "If Arvind Kejriwal resigns, who could be Delhi CM or AAP convenor?")
Delhi, along with the rest of the country, is wondering who would the next chief minister of the national capital would be in case Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena cites “breakdown of Constitutional machinery” and recommends President’s Rule in the city after the arrest of AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal.
On Thursday evening, Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise policy scam case after he avoided nine summons issued by the investigative agency.
While AAP says Kejriwal will not step down from the post of Delhi Chief Minister even after his arrest and will “run the government from jail”, if needed, given Delhi’s status as a state with a Union Territory, the LG’s role becomes more important in such cases.
Under Section 239 AB, of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the LG can cite “breakdown of Constitutional machinery” and recommend President’s Rule.
The L-G can also cite the same reason to dismiss the government under section 239 AA.
But who would be the next CM of Delhi if Kejriwal decides to resign?
As per law, Kejriwal can continue as chief minister as long as he is not convicted. He is also the first sitting CM in India to be arrested. However, his arrest has triggered a leadership crisis in AAP as well as the Delhi government.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThere is a big challenge before the party to come up with a worthy leader who can handle both the party and its government in Kejriwal’s absence as senior AAP leaders - Satyendar Jain, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh are also in jail.
Sunita Kejriwal, Atishi, or Saurabh Bharadwaj, who will be Delhi’s next CM?
Names of Sunita Kejriwal, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, who is a former IRS officer; AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj are in the buzz for chief ministerial post in Delhi.
Atishi, who is considered to be a close aide to Kejriwal, holds the most number of portfolios in the Delhi government, including education, finance, PWD, revenue and services. She is also a spokesperson of AAP.
Bharadwaj, too, is a prominent member of the Delhi Cabinet holding important portfolios, including health and urban development in the Kejriwal-led government.
He is also a well known face of the party, often engaged in defending the party and its leaders and counter-attacking the BJP and its government at the Centre on issues of governance and politics.
Who will head AAP?
Kejriwal has been AAP’s convenor since the inception of the party in 2012 and Delhi Chief Minister for three terms spanning almost a decade.
But with Kejriwal in jail, the AAP leadership has to find his replacement to head the party that runs the governments in Delhi and Punjab besides having MLAs in Gujarat and Goa.
Also, the party has to make a decision swiftly as the AAP is gearing up to contest Lok Sabha 2024 polls in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Assam, and Haryana where Kejriwal was to be a key campaigner of the party.
For AAP’s national convenor role, names of Sunita Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Atishi are taking rounds.
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