India's New Delhi chief minister resigns two days after being granted bail

On September 15, 2024, news from New Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal, one of India's major opposition figures and the chief minister of New Delhi, said he will resign in two days. Two days ago, he was granted bail in a bribery case. Kejriwal is a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was arrested nearly six months ago on charges of accepting bribes from liquor dealers. After being granted bail by the Indian Supreme Court on Friday, he has consistently denied the charges, calling it a political conspiracy.

On Sunday, Kejriwal gave a public speech at the headquarters of the Aam Aadmi Party, asked the public for their opinions on him, and announced his resignation decision. He said his party will meet to decide on a successor and also demanded that the New Delhi elections originally scheduled for February next year be moved to November. The opposition widely condemned Kejriwal's arrest, accusing the Modi government of abusing federal investigative agencies to harass and weaken political opponents. Kejriwal's supporters celebrated his release outside his residence. Government agencies have accused Kejriwal's party and ministers of accepting bribes and amending liquor sales policies. Kejriwal was once a civil servant. In 2012, he founded the Aam Aadmi Party and promised to eliminate corruption and inefficiency. The broom symbol of his party and its promise to sweep away corruption have resonated with New Delhi residents.