Arvind Kejriwal arrested ahead of Lok Sabha, assembly elections: 5 key challenges before AAP in Delhi

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has prompted many to demand his resignation from the post. Kejriwal is also the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convenor. His arrest in connection with the money laundering case linked to the excise policy has already raised questions about the party's next leadership.

Now, if he steps down as the chief minister, the crisis will grip Delhi's governance as well. Although AAP leaders say that there will be "no problems in running the (Delhi) government from jail," legal experts beg to differ.

Moreover, the Lok Sabha elections 2024 are around the corner. The AAP will be contesting the polls in alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Chandigarh and Goa. Kejriwal's party is also part of the Opposition's INDIA bloc.AAP leader Sandeep Pathak has said he doesn't think there'll be any difficulty in running the government from jail.

However, Sunil Gupta, a former law officer from Delhi's Tihar jail, told NDTV that running a government from jail is not that easy. He said a chief minister has to attend several meetings with officers and governors and has to visit people at times. However, "the jail manual says that a prisoner can meet his family, friends or anyone just twice a week", he said. This makes the process difficult.

Keeping this situation in view, Gupta suggested an easier way to run the government while remaining in custody/jail. Citing jail rules, he said that any area can be declared a jail. It can be a house or even a stadium. The power is in the hands of the Lieutenant Governor (Vinai Kumar Saxena) to declare any building a jail.

Now, the question is — will the authorities allow this to happen? VK Saxena and Kejriwal's government have been at loggerheads on several occasions. It was VK Saxena who recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Delhi government's excise policy. He had also called for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities involving fake lab tests and 'ghost patients' at Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMCs).

The demand for Kejriwal's resignation as the chief minister has grown ever since he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. In case Kejriwal steps down as the CM, the hunt for the next CM will commence. All the key leaders of the AAP — Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain — are currently in jail in connection with the excise policy case.