AAP talks tough after legislator revolts

New Delhi, Jan 16 :

Delhi’s ruling AAP Thursday battled its first major crisis after disgruntled legislator Vinod Kumar Binny threatened to fast against the new government of Arvind Kejriwal.

“I will start an agitation Jan 27 at Jantar Mantar if the government does not fulfil the promises made to the people of Delhi,” Binny told the media.

He accused AAP leader and Chief Minister Kejriwal of deviating from the election manifesto.

He said the government, which took power Dec 28, had backtracked on the promises it made, including in the water and power sectors. He pledged to resign from the Delhi assembly if he was proved wrong.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which stunned everyone with its debut showing in Delhi, reacted strongly.

AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said a show cause notice would be issued to Binny.

“There is no scope for indiscipline. We are left with no option but to take disciplinary action,” Yadav said, adding Binny was upset as he wasn’t made a minister in Delhi.

Binny had walked out of an AAP meeting last month after realizing he would not be a minister. At that time, he made up with the chief minister.

But the differences again came to the fore, with Binny accusing Kejriwal of lying after the chief minister claimed the legislator from Laxmi Nagar in east Delhi had wanted to fight the Lok Sabha election.

Yadav said the next course of action would be decided by the Political Affairs Committee of AAP.

Binny said he wanted the AAP government to pass Gandhian Anna Hazare’s version of the Jan Lokpal Bill by Jan 25 or 26, and start building a women commando force for women’s security.

“You (Kejriwal) have done a lot of agitation against the Congress and the BJP. Now you have to explain and show the people how your thoughts are different from theirs.”

Binny, who defeated Congress heavyweight A.K. Walia, also alleged a nexus between Kejriwal and Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit and ousted Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

“This is the reason all the AAP decisions are being taken at the directive of the Congress.

“We had announced we would not give or take support of any political party. Then what prompted the party to change that decision?”

“The party has misled the people of Delhi on a number of issues. There is a big mismatch between what the party promised and what the government is doing.”

Binny added: “Kejriwal calls me greedy… The first day when the list (of ministers) was given to the Lt. Governor, my name was there. So I told him I don’t want to become a minister.

“Just because I am bringing issues up front, you accuse me (of being) greedy and (say that I) wanted a (Lok Sabha) ticket.”

He accused the AAP ministers of enjoying “VIP cars and bungalows” after claiming publicly that they would shun VIP culture.

Binny said there was corruption during the assembly election too.

“It is decided who will fight elections from which area. It has been decided where Kuamr Vishwas, Shazia Ilmi and Gopal Rai will contest from. If this has been decided, then why is such high drama being played, and why play with the emotions of volunteers?”

Sheila Dikshit said Binny’s remark does not “concern the Congress.”

“I don’t know what is the understanding between Binny and Kejriwal when he joined AAP… It is really for them to sort out the ambitions of their people,” she told reporters. (IANS)