NEW DELHI: Rebel AAP legislator Alka Lamba on Wednesday held a mohalla sabha outside the historic Jama Masjid to seek the opinion of the people on severing her ties with the ruling party. Lamba, more importantly, reached out to the people in her constituency Chandi Chowk after she had a Twitter spat with AAP colleague Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday. Bharadwaj and Lamba had exchanged more than a dozen tweets over the issue of statehood.
Lamba, whose ties has soured with the senior AAP leadership since December last year, challenged Bhardwaj to come and debate her in the Assembly constituency. This was in response the AAP GK legislator taunting her to resign from the party if she does not stand with the party on the demand of statehood. “I have asked to resign from the party. I want to ask you all should I resign? They keep on abusing the Congress, but, on the other hand, want to have an alliance.”
Lamba said, addressing the people in front of theJama Masjid. “I want to say you (public) have made me your MLA, I will serve and work only for you. Should I resign as they say?” Lamba said to which the crowd responded with a loud “No”. This is not the first time when Bharadwaj has dueled with the Chandni Chowk MLA. Earlier, he had hinted that if Lamba resigns from the party, then what will happen to the “MLA Ki Kursi” (chair of MLA).
In December last, Lamba publicly opposed the proposal moved by the MLAs inside the Delhi Assembly to take back Bharat Ratna of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The proposal, which divided even a few inside the AAP camp, triggered reaction from the Congress. This episode is believed to have soured the talks of alliance between the AAP and the Congress.
Meanwhile, AAP’s in-charge of Delhi, Gopal Rai stated that the spat between the two leaders is personal and not of the party’s. “When the appropriate time comes party will take note,” Rai said.Lamba has also questioned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking how he plans to come together with the Congress and campaign for it in the Lok Sabha elections if he keeps this negative campaign against the its rival going. In March, the AAP legislator had openly asked the Congress to invite her into the party fold and claimed that she along with a dozen disgruntled AAP MLAs are willing to change sides.
Bitter fight
-Lamba alleged AAP had sought her resignation the third time in last four years
- She said Kejriwal held an event in her constituency but didn’t invite her