Resigning will set precedent for BJP to target Opposition: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said he would not resign as chief minister in order not to allow the BJP to set precedent in targeting more governments.

Arvind Kejriwal, who was released from jail on May 10 on interim bail in the Delhi liquor policy case told news agency PTI that ‘Wherever BJP loses elections, the chief ministers of Opposition-ruled states will be arrested.’

Granting the bail the Supreme Court directed Kejriwal to surrender on June 2, a day after voting for the Lok Sabha elections ends.

The Aam Aadmi Party national convener told the news agency: “If I resign, it will set such a precedent that they will arrest West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee someday and ask her to resign…they will also arrest Tamil Nadu Chief Minister [MK] Stalin and ask him to resign.”

The Centre targeting to topple the state governments is “very dangerous for democracy”, he reportedly said.

His decision to not to give up the post after his arrest is “deliberately as it is part of my struggle”.

Referring to the law that bars those convicted from contesting the assembly polls, he said he is not convicted yet thus he can contest in polls and remain as chief minister while in jail.

“We will go to the court and urge it to provide facilities [in jail] in order to fulfil the responsibilities of the chief minister,” Kejriwal was quoted as saying.

Questioning the BJP over the liquor policy case, Kejriwal said: “They are saying it is a Rs 100 crore excise scam and for the last few weeks, they have started saying it is a Rs 1,100 crore scam,” adding “Where has all this money gone? Was even a penny was recovered, any jewellery was recovered…there is no evidence. This case has been forged to arrest us.”