‘People Chose Kejriwal’: AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj Invokes Ramayana Amid CM Resignation

‘People Chose Kejriwal’: AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj Invokes Ramayana Amid CM Resignation

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj declared, “The chief minister’s chair belongs to Kejriwal,” before to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s rumoured resignation on Tuesday. In an interview with the media, Bharadwaj stated that Kejriwal was given the mandate, hence it doesn’t matter who temporarily takes over as CM.

Bharadwaj pointed out that Kejriwal said he would not sit on the chief minister’s chair till people gave him their confidence again, and yet he said, “This chair is belonging to Arvind Kejriwal for these five years and for the next five years too.”

Bharadwaj referred to the Ramayana: when Lord Ram was in exile, his brother Bharat ruled in his place. He even mentioned that one of the party members will continue at the position until new elections are held in Delhi. Kejriwal’s successor to be decided by AAP in a meeting with MLAs today.

ARVIND KEJRIWAL TO RESIGN TODAY

In the wake of Kejriwal’s expected resignation on Tuesday late afternoon, AAP MLAs will meet at Kejriwal residence to elect his successor. He is likely to send his resignation letter to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at 4:30 pm.

On Sunday, Kejriwal announced that he would resign within 48 hours after being released from Tihar Jail on bail in the excise policy case and demanded early elections in Delhi. He declared that he won’t return to the chief minister seat till the public gives him a “certificate of honesty”.

Possible candidates to fill up the position include ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot and Saurabh Bharadwaj, along with names like Sunita Kejriwal, Kejriwal’s wife and Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel among others, party insiders said.

THE RAMAYANA REFERENCE

In Ramayana, Bharat was the brother of Lord Ram and served as regent during the latter’s exile. Though he at first rejected the throne, Bharat took Lord Ram’s sandals to the throne as a token of his brother’s reign.

Also Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Set to Meet L-G Tomorrow, Expected to Tender Resignation

Then, he ran the kingdom of Kosala from the outskirts of Ayodhya, maintaining Ram’s authority in his absence from the kingdom.

This was the reference that Bharadwaj drew to explain how the party will work out the plan with one of them playing the role of a temporary leader, without giving up on Kejriwal-the natural leader.