Arvind Kejriwal should resign as CM, if he cannot discharge duties of the post: BJP

The Delhi BJP on Friday called for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation, saying he cannot discharge the duties of the post as per the bail conditions for his release in the excise policy case. The Supreme Court earlier on the day granted bail to the Delhi chief minister in a corruption case lodged by the CBI in connection with the excise policy 'scam'.

The top court said that the terms and conditions as imposed in the ED case would also be applicable in the bail granted in the CBI case.

The court, while granting Kejriwal bail in the ED case, had said that he cannot visit his office or the Delhi Secretariat or sign any official file unless absolutely necessary to obtain the lieutenant governor's sanction.


Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said in a statement that Kejriwal has got bail from the court but he has no right to remain on the post of the chief minister.

"He should step down as the chief minister if he can not work on the post," Sachdeva said, adding that the SC has also clarified that his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case was legal.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy case on March 21. He was granted interim bail by the SC in the case.

However, he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26 in a separate excise policy case, while he was still in Tihar jail under judicial custody.

"Kejriwal getting conditional bail is not a special achievement, the trial will go on and he will soon get a long sentence. Kejriwal should remember that he has now joined the list of chief ministers like Lalu Yadav, Madhu Koda and they too had got bail and then sentenced," Sachdeva said.

North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that Kejriwal has become the first chief minister in the country who is not allowed to sign files and go to his office, for being accused in a "corruption" case.

"The condition of Delhi has worsened and if Kejriwal had any sympathy, he would not consider retaining the chief minister's post. Now, Delhi has a chief minister who has no powers," he said.

Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj, in a press conference, accused Aam Aadmi Party leaders of celebrating "corruption" and "misleading people" over the bail granted to Kejriwal.

"Kejriwal was granted bail by the court because the court found that the trial might be delayed," she claimed.

Even the Supreme Court has found that Kejriwal's arrest was "legally justified", she said.

"Kejriwal had filed two petitions, one questioning the legality of his arrest and the other seeking bail. But the trial court, high court, and now the Supreme Court have all upheld that his arrest was legal," she said.

West Delhi BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said it was "laughable" that AAP leaders and workers were celebrating bail granted to Kejriwal with several conditions.