'Amit Shah won't be next PM': Kejriwal reverses his prediction. Here's why

In his press conference, Kejriwal targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his rally in Delhi on Monday, criticising him for labelling AAP supporters as 'Pakistani'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, during which he addressed three key issues related to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal, who heads the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), assured his supporters and citizens that the Opposition's INDIA bloc will form the government on June 4.

Kejriwal targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his rally in Delhi on Monday, criticising him for labelling AAP supporters as "Pakistani". "There were less than 500 people in his (Amit Shah's) rally. He said that AAP supporters are Pakistani. Are the people of Delhi, who gave us 62 seats in the Assembly elections, Pakistani? Are people from Punjab, Gujarat, Goa, Pakistani?" he asked.

"You have so much arrogance about being chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his successor that you are abusing and threatening people even before becoming the PM," Kejriwal said.

"Let me tell you that you will not be the next PM as the BJP-led government will be ousted on June 4. Lose this attitude and stop abusing the citizens," Kejriwal advised the senior BJP leader.

The AAP chief further reiterated his advice to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, warning him of Modi and Shah's "plan" to oust him from his post.

"Yogi ji came to Delhi yesterday and abused me. Yogi ji, your enemies are sitting in your own party, why abuse me? Modi and Shah have made the plan to oust you from UP, deal with that," he said.

Following his release from Tihar jail in the Delhi liquor policy case on May 10, Kejriwal had alleged that Shah would be the next PM as Modi would retire after turning 75 in 2025. He also claimed that Modi and Shah are "plotting" a 'one nation-one leader' mission under which the Opposition leaders will be jailed while the political careers of BJP leaders will be ended. 

The BJP has refuted Kejriwal’s claims.

In the press briefing, he had predicted that Yogi would be removed as the CM of UP within the next two months once the BJP returns to power.

Notably, Kejriwal did not make any comments about the ongoing Swati Maliwal row, which has put his party and close aide Bibhav Kumar at the centre of a massive political controversy.

Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP of AAP, alleged that she was physically assaulted by Kumar at Kejriwal’s official residence on May 13. She lodged a complaint on Thursday in the matter, following which Kumar was arrested and a SIT has been formed to probe the allegations.

On the issue, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a party press conference, demanded an apology from Kejriwal and claimed that he was present at the crime scene when Maliwal was assaulted. The AAP has termed Maliwal’s allegations as “baseless” and said the “false”case has been orchestrated by the BJP as a part of a “conspiracy” against Kejriwal.

The BJP, however, has alleged that the incident is linked to Kejriwal’s desire to send a senior lawyer to Rajya Sabha.