Sun Sep 15 09:50:30 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Resign Following Bail in Bribery Case

**NEW DELHI** – Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi and a prominent figure in India’s opposition, has announced his resignation, effective in two days. This comes after he was granted bail in a bribery case that saw his arrest nearly six months ago.

Kejriwal, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was accused of accepting bribes from a liquor distributor ahead of the national elections in June. He has consistently denied these allegations, calling them a politically motivated conspiracy.

Addressing his supporters at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters, Kejriwal challenged the public to determine his honesty. “Today I have come to ask the public whether you consider Kejriwal honest or a criminal,” he stated, adding that he would step down from his position as Chief Minister within two days.

The AAP, a key member of the INDIA alliance challenging Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will hold a meeting to decide Kejriwal’s successor. He also demanded that the Delhi elections, currently scheduled for February 2024, be brought forward to November.

Opposition parties have vehemently condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, accusing the Modi government of employing federal investigation agencies to target and weaken its political opponents. They pointed to numerous raids, arrests, and corruption investigations of opposition figures leading up to the elections.

Despite his release on bail, supporters celebrated, lighting fireworks and dancing in the rain outside Kejriwal’s residence. Some BJP leaders, however, warned that bail does not equate to acquittal.

Government agencies claim that Kejriwal’s party and ministers received 1 billion rupees ($12 million) in bribes from a liquor distributor in exchange for revising the city’s liquor sales policy.

Kejriwal, a former civil servant, established the AAP in 2012, pledging to combat corruption and inefficiency in Indian politics. His party’s broom symbol, symbolizing a clean administration, resonated with Delhi residents frustrated with inflation and sluggish economic growth.

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