Arvind Kejriwal has been criticised after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on 3 January nominated Sanjay Singh, Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta as its Rajya Sabha nominees.
The nomination of Delhi-based businessman and reported billionaire Sushil Gupta, who resigned from the Congress in November, has not gone down well.
The decision was taken at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in a meeting attended by around 56 party MLAs. The party's highest decision making body, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), met soon after and formally approved the decision.
Gupta, Singh – who has been associated with the party since its inception – and chartered accountant ND Gupta are expected to be elected to the Upper House on 16 January.
Former AAP member-turned-Swarajya founder Yogendra Yadav said he was left dumbfounded with the choice.
Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that the voices of party volunteers were overridden when people of distinguished public service were not nominated.
Kumar Vishwas Tears into Kejriwal
Kumar Vishwas, part of the AAP’s National Executive, was denied an RS ticket, despite having been vocal about wanting a berth. Following the announcement, he told reporters:
In the last one and half years, I spoke the truth whether it is about Arvind Kejriwal’s decisions or issues like surgical strike, irregularities in ticket distribution, softness towards extremists in Punjab, JNU incident among others, for which I have been rewarded in the form of punishment for speaking the truth.
The AAP leader also charged that around one and half years ago Kejriwal had in a party's national executive meeting said with a smile, "We will finish you, but we will not let you be a martyr."
"I want to congratulate (Kejriwal) that I have accepted my martyrdom," AAP leader said.
Congress Says AAP Lured Gupta With RS Seat
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said that Gupta came to him to tender his resignation and told him beforehand that he was promised a Rajya Sabha berth by the AAP.
(With inputs from PTI)
BJP Chimes in, Chides Kejriwal
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari also hit out at Kejriwal, saying that the AAP has "betrayed" the people by nominating "two businessmen" for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Tiwari said the announcement of the AAP's Rajya Sabha candidates belied its anti-corruption plank based on which it stormed to power in Delhi.
Arvind Kejriwal came to power seeking to fight corruption. Now, he is sending two businessmen to the Rajya Sabha. He has betrayed not only Delhi but also the whole country.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)