"Agnipariksha": Raghav Chadha On Arvind Kejriwal's Shock Resignation

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha today reacted to his party boss Arvind Kejriwal announcing to quit as Delhi Chief Minister and said he has decided to give “agnipariksha” (trial by fire). Mr Kejriwal today announced to resign after two days and vowed not to sit in CM’s chair till people give him a “certificate of honesty”. His remarks came two days after he was released on bail from Tihar in the Delhi liquor policy corruption case.

“Today he (Mr Kejriwal) decided to give agnipariksha. People of Delhi will prove him honest by voting for the AAP,” Mr Chadha told reporters. 

Invoking a scene in Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan’s film “Deewar”, he said the people of Delhi will write on their hands that “Mr Kejriwal is innocent”.

Arvind Kejriwal announced his shock resignation from the top post at a party meeting this afternoon.

“Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister. I will not sit on that chair till the people announce their verdict. Elections in Delhi are months away. I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people’s court. I will sit on the Chief Minister’s chair only after the order of the people,” he said. 

“I want to ask the people of Delhi, is Kejriwal innocent or guilty? If I have worked, vote for me,” Mr Kejriwal said, adding that a meeting of AAP MLAs will be held within the next two days to choose the new Chief Minister for the national capital.

He also demanded that the Assembly elections in the national capital, scheduled for early next year, be held in November along with the polls in Maharashtra.