Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who declared his intention to resign today, is expected to vacate his official residence within the next 15 days, according to sources speaking to India Today on Sunday. It is also reported that Kejriwal plans to formally step down on Tuesday. Last year, a major controversy erupted over the renovation of the chief minister's residence in Delhi.
In May, Kejriwal faced backlash after allegations surfaced that he had spent Rs 45 crore on renovating his government bungalow. The Congress later claimed that the actual amount was Rs 171 crore, accusing the government of purchasing additional flats for officers whose homes were either demolished or vacated to expand the CM’s residential complex.
Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken criticized Kejriwal, accusing him of projecting a false image of simplicity while spending crores on his residence. He compared Kejriwal unfavorably to former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, whom he described as the real symbol of simplicity. Maken argued that the combined expenditure on homes by Dikshit’s entire cabinet over 15 years was far less than what Kejriwal had spent on his “palace-like” renovation.
The BJP also took aim at Kejriwal, arguing that he should have resigned long ago. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla suggested that Kejriwal's resignation is a dramatic move prompted by his conditional bail in the excise policy scam case, which effectively reduced his role to that of a "ceremonial minister."
Poonawalla further alleged that Kejriwal’s real motive is to position his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, as the next chief minister of Delhi. He claimed Kejriwal has "mastered the art of turning necessity into virtue" and that the two-day delay in his resignation is part of a strategy to install his wife in his place.
