NEW DELHI, Dec 2: Senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Saturday conducted a survey and claimed 83 per cent of the respondents opined that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should resign if he was arrested in the excise policy case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also running a campaign, “Main Bhi Kejriwal”, alleging the BJP was conspiring to get Kejriwal arrested in the “fake” liquor scam case.
Under the campaign, AAP leaders and volunteers are collecting public feedback on whether Kejriwal should step down from the post of chief minister if he was arrested.
Last month, the Enforcement Directorate had summoned Kejriwal for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The chief minister did not appear before the central agency, claiming that its summons was “illegal and politically motivated”.
In a statement, Goel said he along with activists of the Lok Abhiyan social organisation conducted the survey at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station Gate No. 6 and more than 10,000 people participated in it.
People were asked whether Kejriwal should resign from the post of chief minister if he is arrested in the liquor scam case. More than 83 per cent of the respondents said Kejriwal should resign, according to the statement.
“Why Kejriwal did not conduct such a referendum before the resignation of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain? Did they ask people before opening liquor shops in every nook and corner of Delhi,” Goel, a former Union minister, said.
The AAP is saying that the people of Delhi had voted in the name of Kejriwal, but they forgot that at that time Kejriwal’s image was not that of a corrupt leader, Goel said.
“Why does Kejriwal, who always pretended that he would resign even on slightest allegation, need a referendum this time?” the BJP leader asked.
He said that on the one hand Kejriwal pretends that he does not have any greed for power and may resign anytime and on the other hand he does not hesitate to collaborate with the Congress and other parties whom he once accused of massive corruption.
The AAP has said it will hold a nationwide “referendum” to ask people if Kejriwal should run the government from jail or resign if he is arrested.
Sisodia and Jain resigned from the government following their arrest in separate cases. (PTI)