‘If I resign today, they will topple Mamata, Pinarayi Govts tomorrow’; I’ve not desired CM’s post, says Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retire next year. Modi wants Amit Shah to become the Prime Minister, but the other members of the BJP are against it, said Kejriwal in an interview given to a national media.

‘Amit Shah and many others said Modi will not retire. However, it was their request to the Prime Minister not to retire. Modi has not confirmed this. If Modiji says that he will not retire and this law does not apply to me, then I will believe it. Despite what other leaders have repeatedly said, Modi's silence means that he will retire next year. A very ugly succession battle is going on within the BJP. Modi wants Amit Shah to become the Prime Minister. This is not acceptable to the rest of the BJP,’ he said.

Kejriwal reiterated that the country is moving towards dictatorship. The country is going through a very difficult time. Slowly first and now very quickly the country is moving towards dictatorship. The Modi government first arrested Hemant Soren (former chief minister of Jharkhand) and then me.

By arresting me, they are sending a message to the people of the country that if they can arrest Kejriwal in a false case, anyone can be arrested. So, they should be feared. These are signs of dictatorship. In a way it is like a freedom struggle. Many of the people who inspire me today spent long periods of time in prison.

I am in jail not because I am corrupt and not because Manish Sisodia did something wrong. Me going to jail is to save the country. Just like people going to jail for long periods for the freedom of the country, we go to jail to protect democracy and the constitution. I have always said that I am ready to sacrifice my life for the country. This is part of that struggle,' he said.

Kejriwal alleged that Pinarayi and Mamata Banerjee are Modi's next targets. He said that he never desired for chief minister's chair or post. ‘If I resign today, they will topple the governments of Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan tomorrow. Wherever the BJP loses, the chief minister can be arrested and his government toppled. We should fight for this. If they put democracy in jail, democracy will be run from jail,’ said Kejriwal.