This development opens up a critical question for AAP: who will helm the government in Delhi until elections are held? Both Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister, have made it clear they will not contest the top position until their names are cleared by the voters. This leaves the AAP leadership with the difficult task of selecting a temporary head to manage the city’s administration for the next few months.
Kejriwal's resignation, a calculated move he described as his "agnipariksha" or trial by fire, has heightened political uncertainty in Delhi. The timing of the resignation has been scrutinized by both supporters and detractors, with many seeing it as an attempt to regain public trust amid the corruption allegations that have marred AAP’s reputation. The Chief Minister's plan to step down was reportedly made while he was still behind bars but only finalized upon his release. His resignation was seen as a strategic move to create a public spectacle of his accountability and integrity.
The race to fill the interim position will likely hinge on several factors, including internal party dynamics and the need for a leader who can represent the party effectively ahead of the elections. Senior party members have suggested that Kejriwal's resignation could give AAP an opportunity to project a new face in leadership, even if for a short period. Names like Atishi Marlena, Delhi's Education Minister, have been floated as potential contenders. Marlena’s political standing has grown steadily within AAP, and she is considered a close ally of both Kejriwal and Sisodia.
Choosing an interim Chief Minister is not merely a matter of administrative continuity but also of electoral strategy. AAP is keen to ensure that whoever takes the position can articulate the party's vision and policies without diluting its stance on key issues. The chosen candidate would need to balance day-to-day governance while preparing for a high-stakes election.
The BJP, AAP's principal opposition in Delhi, has been quick to seize the moment, criticizing Kejriwal's resignation as a ploy to gain public sympathy. BJP spokespersons have called the move a "confession of guilt," accusing the AAP leader of using his resignation to deflect attention from the corruption charges. The BJP’s strategy in the coming months will likely focus on portraying Kejriwal’s exit as a failure of governance, while pushing for early elections to capitalize on the perceived instability within AAP.
However, the AAP leadership seems to have anticipated these attacks. Kejriwal’s call for early elections, to be held alongside Maharashtra's polls, has been framed as a way to allow the people of Delhi to deliver a verdict on his tenure without delay. Though constitutionally, elections are not due until February next year, the AAP leadership sees a strategic advantage in holding them earlier, thus preventing a long interim period that could weaken their electoral standing.
Moreover, the AAP’s reluctance to dissolve the Delhi Assembly has sparked its own debate. Party insiders have pointed to the risk of President’s Rule being imposed if the Assembly were dissolved prematurely, a scenario that played out after Kejriwal's first resignation in 2014. During that time, the Assembly remained in suspension for nearly a year, leading to uncertainty and administrative paralysis in the capital.