Kejriwal resigns as Delhi CM over failure to introduce Jan Lokpal Bill

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Friday resigned as Delhi Chief Minister after the Assembly session was adjourned sine die following protests by the opposition over the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Assembly Speaker M.S. Dhir announced that the Jan Lokpal Bill has not been introduced in the House.

"Today Jan Lokpal Bill was not allowed to be introduced, BJP and Congress united to oppose it. Their true faces have been brought in front of all of us," he said to the AAP supporters who had gathered outside the party office here today.

"I did not come here for power. And today our Government has tendered its resignation. And I will consider myself fortunate if I have to sacrifice my life for the country. We had a Cabinet meeting right now, and it was decided that our government will resign," he added.

Kejriwal also said that the Delhi Assembly should be immediately dissolved, and demanded for re-elections in the state.

He further claimed the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for blocking the Bill in the House, in retaliation to the FIR filed by the Delhi Government against Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani over gas prices.

"This happened because we had filed an FIR against Mukesh Ambani three days ago. He is the one who runs the government. Mukesh Ambani said Congress is his shop, and he is also close to Modi. From where does Modi get so much money for his rallies? Just because we had registered an FIR against Mukesh Ambani, both BJP and Congress joined hands against us," he said.

He also claimed that Congress and BJP joined hands to stop the Jan Lokpal Bill because they were aware that most of their members would be jailed on charges of corruption if this Bill gets passed.

"BJP and Congress thought if the Jan Lokpal Bill is passed, most of them would go to jail for corruption. BJP and Congress were scared, and thought if the Delhi Government keeps working like this and catches people like Mukesh Ambani and Veerappa Moily, soon Sharad Pawar or Kamal Nath would also be in their radar," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Assembly was adjourned sine die after the session witnessed continued protests by the opposition over the Jan Lokpal Bill.

The Delhi Assembly Speaker M.S. Dhir announced that the Jan Lokpal Bill has not been introduced in the House.

"42 MLAs are against and 27 are for it, so Jan Lokpal Bill is not being introduced," said Dhir after voting took place for the introduction of the bill.

Kejriwal had earlier threatened to resign from his post if he is prevented by other parties from introducing the bill.