Kejriwal threatens to quit over Jan Lokpal bill; Anna supports him; Cong calls it 'shrewd' tactic

New Delhi: Upping the ante over the Jan Lokpal Bill, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday night threatened to resign if his pet anti-graft legislation is not passed by the state Assembly due to lack of support from other parties.

Never imagined I would get into politics: Arvind Kejriwal

A day after he told PTI that he can 'go to any extent' over the 'huge' issue of corruption, Kejriwal said he does not have the right to stay in office if the contentious legislation does not get the approval of the Assembly.

The Bill is opposed both by the Congress, whose continued support is essential for the survival of his seven-week-old government, as well as the Opposition BJP.

"To remove corruption from the country, can sacrifice CM seat a hundred times," Kejriwal said, adding the 'Government will fall if the Jan Lokpal Bill and the Swaraj Bill is not passed'.

Bringing the Jan Lokpal bill to contain corruption was a key election promise made to the voters by his Aam Aadmi Party(AAP).

"To establish Swaraj in the country, CM's seat can be sacrificed thousand times. I have not come here to become the CM," the AAP supremo told reporters.

"I did not come here to become the chief minister. I have come here to remove corruption from the country.

"I am ready," he said when asked whether he was ready to quit on the iseue of Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills.

The Jan Lokpal Bill and Swaraj Bill will be tabled on the floor of the Delhi Assembly on February 13, the chief minister said.

In a House of 70, AAP's strength has been reduced to 27 including the Speaker after its MLA Vinod Kumar Binny was expelled from the party while the Congress has eight legislators. The BJP has 32.

"Corruption is extremely important issue and I will go to any extent," Kejriwal said during an interaction with PTI editors at the agency's head office here yesterday. Asked if he would resign, Kejriwal had responded by affirming that he could go to any extent over the "huge" issue of corruption.

"That (resignation) you interpret," he added.

Asserting that both Congress and BJP will never allow passage of the bill, Kejriwal had said since the government has decided to probe the alleged corruption in Commonwealth Games projects, Congress' 'pitch' has become more 'shrill' in this regard and also there are allegations against BJP, which is in power in MCD for past seven years.

Kejriwal's comments yesterday came two days after he sent a strongly-worded letter to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung asking him to protect the Constitution and not the interest of Congress and the Home Ministry, saying they were keen on stalling his government's Jan Lokpal bill.

"We have written to Home Minister to withdraw the (2002) order which directs Delhi government to take approval of the ministry before passage of any bill in the Assembly," he said.

Questioning the validity of the MHA order, Kejriwal said government will not send the bill to the Home Ministry for approval.

"The Constitution says Delhi government has power to make law except in three subjects. But they cannot make any law which is repugnant to any central law. If they are, and if President grants assent after the passage of the law, then that also can be done," he said.

"That means we do not have to take approval before introduction of a bill. That is the power given by the Constitution to Delhi. Constitution is supreme. Law-making powers of an assembly have to defined by the Constitution and not by anybody else," he said.

Last week, Delhi Cabinet cleared the draft of the much talked-about Jan Lokpal bill which provides for covering all public servants - from chief minister to Group D employeesand seeks life term as maximum punishment for those found guilty of corruption.

The Swaraj Bill intends to give the people direct power to curb corruption at the local level.

Anna supports Kejriwal on threat to resign

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday received support from Anna Hazare on his threat to resign if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed in the Delhi Assembly.

Kejriwal met Hazare at Maharashtra Sadan here to inform him about the AAP government's plan to introduce Jan Lokpal and Swaraj bills in the assembly.

After his meeting with Kejriwal, Hazare told reporters, "He (Kejriwal) should resign if it is not passed, he should do that." He was asked whether he supported the Chief Minister on his threat to resign if the legislation is not passed in the assembly.

On the proposed legislation, the activist said, "I have not seen the paper (Jan Lokpal Bill) but what he (Kejriwal) said is good. When I see the paper, I can tell more. But whatever he has told me sounds good. It is good."

To a poser on whether he will support Kejriwal's agitation in case he resigns, Anna said he would not be able speak on the issue now. "Will decide on it later...I do not wish to get involved in politics with Aam Aadmi Party and Congress. We will wait and watch AAP's further action," he said.

After meeting Anna, Kejriwal reiterated his threat to resign saying "if I have to resign a hundred times, then also I will resign." He said his meeting with Anna was about the two proposed bills and it was not a 'political' affair.

"I was here to inform Anna on Jan Lokpal and Swaraj bills. I was not here for any political purpose. He (Anna) was my guru and he is my guru," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

Next: Kejriwal's threat to resign 'shrewd' tactic: Congress

Kejriwal's threat to resign 'shrewd' tactic: Congress

New Delhi: Congress Sunday night termed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's threat to resign over Jan Lokpal Bill a 'shrewd' tactic to run away from responsibility and said it will support the proposed legislation provided laid down procedures are followed.

"Nobody is above the law. The Chief Minister wants to run away from responsibility. He is finding an excuse. It is a shrewd tactic," DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely told PTI here.

He said Congress will fully support the Jan Lokpal Bill if the Kejriwal government tables it in Assembly following the laid down procedures.

"Congress has always maintained that it will support the Jan Lokpal Bill. Our only request to the AAP government is to follow the rules and respect the Constitution. The CM is not above the Constitution," he said.

The DPCC chief maintained that transaction of business rules for tabling any bill by Delhi government were finalised during the NDA rule in 2002 and they were even laid on the floor of Parliament. He asserted that any bill having financial implication has to be cleared by the Centre before introduction in the Assembly.

"The Jan Lokpal Bill of Delhi has provisions which will overlap with the central Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, so it is mandatory for the state government to get clearance from the Centre. We will not allow any unconstitutional thing to happen.

"Even Delhi government's Home,Law and Finance departments have said that the state has to get clearance from the Centre on the issue," Lovely claimed.

DPCC chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said Kejriwal will be responsible if BJP comes to power in Delhi in the event of him resigning. "Kejriwal does not want to make Jan Lokpal into an Act, he just wants to run away from responsibility," he said.

Upping the ante over the anti-corruption bill, Kejriwal threatened to resign if his pet legislation is not passed by the state Assembly due to lack of support from other parties.