AAP, Congress not in permanent marriage, says Arvind Kejriwal on Lok Sabha poll alliance

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP and Congress had come together to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha election and are not in permanent alliance.

"The AAP is not in a permanent marriage with Congress. Our aim is to defeat the BJP for now and end the dictatorship and goondagardi of the present regime," Kejriwal said.

In an interview with India Today, Kejriwal said a "big surprise" was waiting on June 4 as the opposition INDIA bloc would win the Lok Sabha polls.

In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the AAP and Congress are in an alliance in Delhi, but they are contesting against each other in Punjab. "It is important to save the country. AAP and Congress came together wherever an alliance was needed to defeat the BJP and put up one candidate. The BJP does not have any existence in Punjab," he said.

The AAP chief also said he won’t resign as the Chief Minister of Delhi. “My going back to jail is not an issue. This country’s future is at stake... Let them jail me for as long as they want, I will not be cowed down. There is no question of resigning as Delhi Chief Minister only because the BJP wants me to," Kejriwal told India Today.

He was arrested on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case associated with now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Later, he was imprisoned in Delhi's Tihar Jail. He is currently out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court, allowing him to campaign for Aam Aadmi Party in the Lok Sabha election 2024. The apex court has asked Kejriwal to surrender on June 2.

He maintained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would soon end the political career of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath if the BJP returned to power.

"I maintain my stand that if PM Modi wins, Yogi Adityanath's future will be in doubt. Let BJP deny it," he said.

Earlier, Kejriwal had claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would be made the next Prime Minister if the BJP won the elections and Adityanath would be removed from his post.