AAP demands Swati Maliwal's resignation over remarks on Atishi's appointment as Delhi CM
- In Reports
- 04:36 PM, Sep 17, 2024
- Myind Staff
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called for the resignation of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal following her criticism of Atishi's appointment as the Chief Minister of Delhi. Maliwal, in her statement, referred to Atishi as a "dummy CM" and raised concerns about national security, sparking a sharp response from the AAP leadership.
Senior AAP leader Dilip Pandey did not hold back in his condemnation of Maliwal’s comments, accusing her of aligning with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Swati Maliwal takes the Rajya Sabha ticket from AAP but takes the script to react from BJP. If she has even a little shame, she should resign as a Rajya Sabha MP and choose the path to Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket," Pandey said. His statement reflected the growing tension within the party over Maliwal's public remarks.
Maliwal, on the other hand, expressed her disappointment over Atishi's elevation, invoking her family's past actions regarding Afzal Guru, the terrorist convicted in the 2001 Parliament attack. "Today is a very sad day for Delhi. Today, a woman whose family fought a long battle to save terrorist Afzal Guru from being hanged is being made the Chief Minister of Delhi. His parents wrote mercy petitions to the Honourable President to save terrorist Afzal Guru," Maliwal stated, underscoring her concerns over Atishi’s background.
Atishi, who currently manages several important portfolios in the Delhi government, responded with composure, expressing gratitude for the trust placed in her by the AAP leadership. "Only a party like Aam Aadmi Party would have given a 'first-time politician' like me such responsibilities," she said.
The AAP also confirmed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed Atishi’s name as his successor during a meeting with the party’s legislators. According to party officials, all MLAs present at the meeting unanimously supported Kejriwal’s proposal, cementing Atishi’s appointment as the new CM of Delhi.
The development has intensified the internal rift within AAP, even as the party continues to defend its decision to appoint Atishi as the state’s leader.
Image source: PTI
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