AAP lawmaker, in tweets, cautioned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against "sycophants" in party (file)
Highlights
- AAP lawmaker, in tweets, cautions Arvind Kejriwal against "sycophants"
- He was reportedly upset over civic poll candidates; later deleted tweets
- Delhi "being run through laptop" said another AAP MLA, who quit party
Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been compelled to clarify once again that all is well within after a lawmaker put out tweets cautioning Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against "sycophants", days after another lawmaker switched to the BJP.
In a series of posts tagging Mr Kejriwal, AAP's Janakpuri lawmaker Rajesh Rishi quoted couplets that implied that a regime nears its end if one relies on sycophants. Sources say he was not happy with the choice of candidates in his constituency for the upcoming civic polls.
Mr Rishi later deleted the tweets and said he was not quitting the party.
"I am with the party since the India Against Corruption days and will not quit the AAP or join any other party," he said.
Mr Rishi was in news recently when his brother was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman.
After the notes ban was announced in November, AAP had fielded Mr Rishi, along with a few other legislators, to take on Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari.
The party also asserted that everything is fine between the legislator and the leadership.
These are troubling developments for AAP in the middle of its campaign for its first civic polls - a big test for the party after its disastrous debut in the Punjab and Goa elections. A good performance in the April 23 municipal elections is the affirmation that the party desperately needs two years after taking power in Delhi.
After announcing its candidates for the civic polls, AAP replaced 15 of them. Without giving any reason, the party described it as an "internal matter".
Sources say the party is hard at work, not just trying to pacify those who were replaced, but also lawmakers and workers who are unhappy with the choice of candidates.
Earlier this week, lawmaker Ved Parkash quit AAP and attacked the Delhi government, saying it was "being run through laptop" and the leadership has no connect with ground realities.
Mr Parkash was believed to be upset about civic poll candidates too.
AAP has 65 lawmakers in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
(With inputs from PTI)