India's anti-corruption campaigner Arvind Kejriwal was sent to jail Wednesday for refusing to pay a bond, hours after declaring he was ready to fight fresh elections in Delhi to revive his party's fortunes.
A Delhi court ordered Kejriwal to be taken into judicial custody for refusing to pay 10,000 rupees ($170) bail after he was sued for defamation by a leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is set to come to power nationally.
Kejriwal included BJP leader Nitin Gadkari in a list of politicians earlier this year he branded the country's most corrupt. The list included Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and the nation's then finance minister.
Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) denied his refusal to pay the bail was a publicity stunt, shortly after saying he would seek a new round of polls in the Delhi state assembly.
"This is a case against corruption. How else will we fight corruption? If we have to pay this price (going to jail), it's okay with us," AAP leader Ashutosh, who goes by one name, told news channel CNN-IBN.
Kejriwal, who has won a reputation for taking on the country's political and business elite over corruption issues, will remain in jail until the next scheduled court hearing on Friday.
The BJP in a statement branded Kejriwal's preference for going to jail a "drama" and a bid to "get media attention".
Kejriwal and his AAP (Common Man) party won only four seats in India's just-concluded general election, a dismal showing after securing mass support last year for his fight to clean up graft-ridden politics.
The former tax-official-turned-politician, who failed to win a parliamentary seat, admitted Wednesday he "made a mistake" in quitting as Delhi chief minister to contest the general election.
"We apologise," Kejriwal told reporters. "We'll go to the people in the city and tell them about the situation and seek their forgiveness."
– Stunning electoral debut –
The AAP stunned major parties last December in the Delhi election in its electoral debut.
Riding a wave of voter anger over endemic corruption in government and everyday life, it won 28 seats and formed a state government with support from Congress, which won eight seats.
But Kejriwal resigned as chief minister only 49 days later when Congress and the BJP blocked his efforts to set up an anti-corruption commission amid procedural wrangles.
Kejriwal was known for his "anarchist" actions while chief minister, including sleeping overnight on a pavement to press for police reform.
After quitting, Kejriwal shrugged off charges he was walking away from the tough job of governing the capital, saying he wanted to take on Congress and the BJP nationally.
BJP leader Narendra Modi is to be sworn in as prime minister on Monday after his party won a landslide victory in the election, trouncing Congress.
Local media said Kejriwal had been trying in recent days to reform government in Delhi state, which has been under the rule of the city's lieutenant-governor since his own shock resignation.
But after Kejriwal met the governor on Tuesday, Congress ruled out extending further support to the AAP — which it needs to pass state legislation.
"We will not support the AAP. We believe the AAP has deserted Delhi during a critical time," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Wednesday.
The governor could now dissolve the assembly, suspended since Kejriwal's resignation, forcing the fresh elections.
Kejriwal said there are now "no possibilities to make a government and we should be ready to fight elections again".
Analysts say he would face a battle in any new poll because of a "tsunami" of support for the BJP.
