Arvind Kejriwal to step down as CM: Will early elections be held in Delhi? Who will replace AAP chief? Find answers here

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on September 15 that he would resign as Chief Minister in two days.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, who was released from Tihar jail on bail in excise policy case two days ago, said that a a meeting with party legislators will be held soon to decide who will replace him as Chief Minister of Delhi.

"I will sit on the CM's chair only after being elected. The elections are supposed to be held in February, 2025. I demand elections be held in November along with Maharashtra elections... Till elections are held, someone else from the party will be the chief minister. In the next 2-3 days, a meeting of the MLAs will be held, where the next CM will be elected,” Kejriwal said in his address to the party workers on Sunday.

AAP had returned to power in the national capital by sweeping assembly elections held in February 2020. AAP won 62 of the 70 assembly seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 8 seats and Congress won none.

Assembly polls are due in Delhi in February next year.

Early elections?

Will Election Commission of India announce Delhi polls along with Maharashtra later this year, as demanded by the outgoing chief minister? Well, it looks unlikely that Delhi polls will be held in November 2024 as it is less than two months away for the poll body to prepare.

Sources within AAP said that the assembly would not be dissolved. Instead, a new CM along with new Ministers would be sworn in again. After quitting as chief minister, Kejriwal will focus on Delhi assembly poll campaign, they said.

Atishi to be CM?

Who will be the next CM? Kejriwal has already said that his former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will wait for ‘honest’ tag to assume the role. "I will become chief minister and Manish Sisodia deputy CM only when people say we are honest,” he said on Sunday.

In that case Delhi minister Atishi becomes the key contender for the top post.  Atishi will be given the charge until the polls are held next year, sources said. She has been a minister since March 2023. 

The Kalkaji lawmaker, Atishi hold key in Arvind Kejriwal-led government such as Finance, Education, Public Works Department, Power, Revenue, Law, Planning, Services, Information and Publicity, and Vigilance. 

Not the first time

AAP contested first Delhi assembly elections in 2013 and won 28 of the 70 seats. Arvind Kejriwal became Delhi's chief minister with Congress support. Kejriwal, however, resigned after 49 days since he faced ‘difficulties’ in passing the Jan Lokpal Bill. 

AAP won a landslide victory in the 2015 elections, securing 67 of 70 seats and Kejriwal was re-elected as chief minister for second time. He became the CM for the third time in 2020.