ONLINE-
Arvind Kejriwal, Leader of India’s new emerging political party Aam Admi Party (AAP), who was vaulted into the top post of Delhi’s city government after a startling electoral victory, resigned from his seat of Delhi Chief Minister after just 49 tumultuous days in office on Friday, saying his central anticorruption initiative was being stonewalled by legislators from India’s two well-established parties, media reports said.
Kejriwal had threatened to quit unless Delhi’s legislative assembly passed the Jan Lokpal Bill, which would create a body responsible for investigating complaints of corruption against public officials. The threat initially sounded dramatic, coming so soon after he had taken office. But by Friday, the assembly had descended into uproar, and his motion to introduce a vote on the bill was defeated.
“We have not come here to save the government but the country. I will sacrifice the CM’s chair a thousand times if I have to for this task. We have to take this fight to Parliament. Perhaps it is our last session,” he was quoted by India Today as saying in the assembly.
Addressing hundreds of supporters outside his party headquarters on Friday, Mr Kejriwal said his attempt to fight corruption by bringing in new legislation had been blocked by India’s two leading parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“My cabinet has decided that we are quitting. Here is my resignation letter,” he said.