Will resign if Lokpal bill not passed, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said he will resign if the Congress does not support his government in passing the Lokpal bill.

Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party government survives on outside support of the Congress, said he did not join politics to become chief minister and the Lokpal bill and Delhi Nagar Swaraj bill were important for him.

Answering queries at a function here, he asserted that the permission of the central government was not needed to pass the Lokpal bill.

He said his government intended to get Lokpal and Swaraj bills passed in the assembly session, for which dates have already been suggested. The bills aim at decentralisation of power and provide for the formation of empowered "mohalla sabhas".

The two bills would be tabled in the assembly Feb 13, he said, adding that his government intended to get the Lokpal bill passed at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Feb 16.

Kejriwal contended that the constitution provides that Delhi government can pass any law except those relating to police, law and order and land, and there was no need to send the Lokpal bill to the central government for prior clearance.

Asked what will he do if the Congress does not support the bill, Kejriwal said: "They may not do. If they do not support, I will resign. After that, people will teach them a lesson."

"For me, Swaraj bill is important, Lokpal bill is important. I did not come to (politics) to become chief minister," he said.

"Hundreds of posts of chief minister can be sacrificed for the Lokpal bill."

"The government will fall if the Lokpal and swaraj bills are not passed," Kejriwal said.

The AAP government has written to the home ministry seeking withdrawal of its 2002 order which directs the Delhi government to take approval of the ministry before passage of any bill in the assembly.