Hours after Delhi cabinet minister Atishi was chosen as the successor of Arvind Kejriwal, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal said she would be a “dummy CM”, a remark that drew sharp reactions from the Aam Aadmi Party.
AAP leader Dilip Pandey said if Maliwal has a little bit of shame, she should quit as an MP.
Maliwal and the AAP have been at loggerheads ever since she accused Kejriwal’s personal secretary Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the chief minister’s residence. The party has dismissed her allegations even as the Delhi Police arrested Kumar and an investigation is still on.
The AAP on Tuesday chose Atishi as the new chief minister as Kejriwal, who is out on bail in a corruption case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam, resigned from the post.
"Today, it is a very sad day for Delhi. A woman is going to be the chief minister of Delhi whose family fought for terrorist Afzal Guru in order to save him from capital punishment,” Maliwal said.
"Her parents sent a mercy petition to the President of India several times that Guru should not be hanged; he is innocent and has become the victim of a political conspiracy," she alleged, adding that Atishi will remain as a “dummy chief minister”.
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Hitting back at her, Dilip Pandey said Maliwal should resign from the MP post and should contest on a BJP ticket.
"I want to say that if she (Maliwal) has a little bit of shame, she should give up her AAP's Rajya Sabha ticket and should resign from the post of member of Parliament. She should ask for a ticket from the BJP for the Rajya Sabha if she has a desire to be there," the Timarpur MLA said.