Kejriwal's interim bail will have bearing on LS poll results: Kerala CM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the Supreme Court on Friday granted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal interim bail till June 1, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the verdict will have a bearing on the results of the Lok Sabha elections presently underway in the country.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo -- who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam -- must surrender before the Tihar Jail authorities by June 2. The final round of the seven-phase elections is scheduled for June 1, while the results will be out on June 4.

“The interim bail to Kejriwal is a rude jolt to the BJP. This verdict is going to have a huge impact as the BJP is trying everything to destroy democratic values to hang on to power. They showed it by putting Kejriwal in jail on the eve of Lok Sabha polls,” CM Vijayan said in a statement issued by his office.

“Instead of taking the people into confidence and facing the polls, The Modi government has used every undemocratic method, besides banking on communal issues, to silence the opposition. But this apex court verdict has played spoilsport to all such undemocratic ploys,” the Chief Minister added.

CM Vijayan is presently on a private tour to Indonesia, Singapore, and the UAE. He will return on May 21.

“After the initial rounds of elections, the Modi government has realised that things are looking bleak. This latest judgment shows that the judicial process cannot be bypassed by the wrong deeds of the Modi government. This verdict also shows that central agencies like the ED are being used for political reasons,” the statement said.

“We wish the release of Kejriwal will act as an impetus for the fight to uphold democracy,” the Chief Minister said.