Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will resign from his position on September 17 and will only accept it again if the public certifies his honesty in the upcoming assembly elections.

This announcement came shortly after he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the excise policy case, which had led to his six-month imprisonment.

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Kejriwal stated he would prove his innocence through the elections and suggested that if the public views him as honest, he will consider taking up the chief minister role again.

He explicitly ruled out Manish Sisodia as his successor, noting that Sisodia also wants public validation of his integrity before assuming the role.

The Supreme Court has placed restrictions on Kejriwal, including not allowing him to leave the country, visit his office, or sign official documents, except for necessary approvals.

Despite these conditions, Kejriwal insisted that the case against him was fabricated and aimed at undermining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The AAP is expected to elect a new chief minister from among its MLAs or ministers shortly after Kejriwal’s resignation. Some party officials suggest Atishi, who manages many departments, as a possible successor. Kejriwal has asked the public to vote based on their perception of his honesty and has called for the Delhi assembly elections to be held in November, alongside the Maharashtra elections.

Opposition leaders have criticized Kejriwal’s decision to resign only after his bail and questioned the timing of his announcement. They argue that the Supreme Court’s restrictions effectively necessitate his resignation and accuse Kejriwal of using the situation for political drama.