On Najeeb Jung Quitting, Arvind Kejriwal Says Life Is ‘Khatta Meetha’

A day after Najeeb Jung’s surprise resignation as Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, his sharpest critic, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, visited him and said he was told that the move was driven by personal reasons.

“Khatta meetha to chalta rehta hai zindgi mein (ups and downs are a part of life),” Mr Kejriwal said, conciliatory after a breakfast meeting with the man who stood as his biggest challenge in the past two years.

“I pray to God for his success in whatever he does in life. Let us see who comes next. I hope that whoever comes will work for the development of Delhi,” said the Chief Minister, who had expressed surprise at Mr Jung’s move.

Mr Jung, 66, resigned yesterday with 18 months left in his tenure, saying he wants to return to his “first love, academics”.

Amid speculation about what impelled Mr Jung to quit, just days after he had written to the Centre for a private visit to Goa from December 25 to January 1, his adviser Ajai Chaudhari said he was shocked too. “He resigned for personal reasons. He said he has worked for 45 years, now he wants to spend time with family and his grandchildren,” Mr Chaudhari told NDTV.