Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Saturday that if the BJP secures power again, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would be marginalized, with Home Minister Amit Shah potentially ascending to the role of Prime Minister. Kejriwal suggested that Prime Minister Modi, who is set to turn 75 this year, would retire from active politics.
Speaking at a gathering following his release on interim bail, Kejriwal predicted a scenario where all major opposition leaders would face imprisonment if the BJP were to form the central government again. He forecasted Adityanath’s removal from his position within two months of such an event.
Kejriwal highlighted the BJP’s policy of retiring leaders at 75, noting Modi’s upcoming birthday. He emphasized the enforced retirements of senior figures like LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi and suggested that Modi’s own retirement was imminent.
Kejriwal speculated that the BJP would first sideline Adityanath, with Modi advocating for Shah’s leadership. He questioned whether Shah would honor Modi’s supposed guarantee.
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Arvind Kejriwal had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March in connection with a money laundering investigation related to the Delhi excise policy. Following a series of legal proceedings, he was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court until June 2.
Yogi Adityanath, a former MP from Gorakhpur, assumed the role of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017. Under his leadership, the BJP secured victory in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Adityanath is considered one of the most prominent Hindutva figures in the country, second only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
