A day after she claimed Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal had unfollowed her on Twitter, the future of Alka Lamba as a legislator within the party remained unclear.
Even as rumours of her being suspended did the rounds which were, however, denied by the MLA from Chandni Chowk and the party declined to comment, the Bharatiya Janata Party took the opportunity to attack Mr. Kejriwal.
BJP attacks Kejriwal
“Alka Lamba is being humiliated and shown the gate due to Kejriwal’s unquestioned dictatorship. There is no place for democracy in the party. AAP has a tradition that whosoever raises the voice of dissent is so insulted that he or she finds the party atmosphere too suffocating and cold to stay back. Nearly two dozen leaders have been shown the door because they dared to question Kejriwal,” Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Lamba took to Twitter to state, “Not only I but other MLAs too need no reason to quit the party, there are many such reasons which exist despite which other MLAs like myself continue to remain a part of the party, which is being considered their weakness, I will continue to serve the people as their representative [sic].”
On December 22, The Hindu was the first to report on the row triggered within the party with Mr. Kejriwal seeking disciplinary action against Ms. Lamba for being at the forefront of criticism against a demand by some MLAs to recall the Bharat Ratna conferred on late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “There is no suspension which has been ordered.”