AAP in Dilemma Over Rajya Sabha Seats, Speculation Rife on Arvind Kejriwal’s Nomination

Although there are several leaders who are hoping for a Rajya Sabha ticket, the party, according to the reports, is trying to bring in more popular faces.

Updated: December 30, 2017 12:46 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Dec 30: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is caught in a dilemma over who should be given the tickets to Rajya Sabha seats. Amid such dilemmas came speculations that with people rejecting offers for their nominations to the upper house of parliament and the deadline approaching, the Delhi CM would be nominated for a Rajya Sabha seat. The party, however, said that final call will be taken by the Political Affairs Committee (PAC). Sources have revealed that while the party has considered AAP leaders Ashutosh and Sanjay Singh for two seats, Arvind Kejriwal himself could take the third ticket.

Recently, the former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur turned down the party’s offer of a Rajya Sabha ticket when it was offered one. Kejriwal had also met the former CJI and requested him to agree to contest the elections. “While CJI Thakur heard our leaders, he turned down the offer very politely. He didn’t seem interested in electoral politics. We approached him because of his stature and impeccable credentials, both as a lawyer and Judge,” a senior AAP leader was quoted as saying by DNA.

AAP FACING REJECTIONS

Although there are several leaders who are hoping for a Rajya Sabha ticket, the party, according to the reports, is trying to bring in more popular faces. However, reports have it that not just former CJI but former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, Infosys founder Narayanmurthy, Nobel Prize winner activist Kailash Satyarthi too have also turned down the party’s offer to contest the elections on AAP tickets.

A group of Kumar Vishwas‘ supporters on Thursday engaged in a face-off with the party and refused to leave until they get an assurance that Vishwas would be given a Rajya Sabha ticket. Drawing a parallel between him and Abhimanyu, who was surrounded and slain by his enemies in the war of Mahabharata, the AAP leader said, “My sincere appeal to @AamAadmiParty volunteers gathering at party office, Pl refer to my Nov 26 appeal, Country first, Party next and Person last…I won’t appreciate any unrest in my name. Abhimanyu is a winner, even if killed (sic).”

Not impressed, a source from AAP said, “The party cannot succumb to such pressure tactics. Let them do what they are doing. It is certain that Kumar Vishwas will not be the AAP nominee for the Rajya Sabha election.”

OUTSIDERS TO BE PICKED?

There are reports that the AAP is planning to pick names of the outsiders for the Rajya Sabha polls. The candidates could be announced on the last day of nominations, January 5, 2018. “The party is considering picking complete outsiders. The idea is to get people who are experts in their fields so that they can corner the Modi government,” an AAP MLA was quoted as saying by News18.

However, sources have also revealed that candidates are already in Arvind Kejriwal‘s mind. “The decision might have been taken as to who will be the party’s candidate to file nomination for the Rajya Sabha election,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha elections would be held on January 16. The process for filing nominations would begin tomorrow and the last date is January 5.

Also Read:

For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.