NEW DELHI -- One of India’s leading opposition figures resigned his post as New Delhi’s chief minister on Tuesday, days after he emerged from prison on bail in a bribery case.

Arvind Kejriwal , a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was arrested in March on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. Kejriwal has consistently denied the accusations and called them a political conspiracy.

Opposition parties widely denounced Kejriwal’s arrest as politically motivated, accusing Modi's government of using federal investigative agencies to harass and undermine its political rivals. They highlighted raids, arrests and corruption probes targeting key opposition figures in the months leading up to the elections.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal's Aam Admi — or Common People’s — Party named his ally Atishi as his successor. A close confidante of Kejriwal, she goes by a single name.

Atishi, 43, oversees key portfolios in finance, education, and women's and children's welfare.

Kejriwal submitted his resignation to Delhi's Lt. Gov. V.K. Saxena after holding the position for over nine years. He stated that he would only resume the position if people voted for him in the upcoming Delhi assembly election. He demanded that the elections, scheduled for February next year, be moved to November.

India's Supreme Court granted Kejriwal bail on Friday, stating that his trial would likely be lengthy. However, the court imposed restrictions, prohibiting him from contacting witnesses or accessing his office. Additionally, the capital's governor will be required to review certain decisions made by Kejriwal during his tenure as chief minister.

The government alleged that Kejriwal's party and its ministers received a bribe of 1 billion rupees ($12 million) from a liquor distributor nearly two years ago, in exchange for amending a liquor sales policy to favor the distributor.

Two prominent figures in Kejriwal's government, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, were also apprehended. They were subsequently released on bail.

Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party emphasized that Kejriwal's release was on bail, not a complete acquittal, to his cheering supporters. The party urged Kejriwal to step down immediately after his arrest.

Political observers indicated that Kejriwal needs to acknowledge the negative impact of the corruption allegations on his party's reputation.

Kejriwal's party ascended to power on the back of a wave of anti-corruption sentiment. The party's symbol — a broom — and its pledge to eradicate corruption resonated with New Delhi's residents, who were disillusioned by soaring inflation and sluggish economic growth.

“Kejriwal's political standing has significantly diminished. The resignation maneuver is a desperate attempt to salvage his position and, hopefully, regain some of his former influence,” wrote R. Jagannathan, a political analyst, in a newspaper article on Monday.

Kejriwal's party, a member of the INDIA coalition of opposition parties, was the primary challenger to Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in June's elections. While Modi's BJP fell short of a majority, it formed a government with the support of its allies.