'Ajay Maken acts on behalf of BJP': AAP demands Congress removal from INDIA alliance

New Delhi, Dec 26 (NationPress) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is a member of the opposition INDIA bloc, on Thursday presented a serious ultimatum to the Congress, insisting on immediate action against its Delhi leader Ajay Maken within a 24-hour timeframe, failing which the party would advocate for Congress’s exclusion from the alliance.

AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi held a press conference in which they demanded explanations from the Congress leadership and swift disciplinary action against Maken. They accused him of making anti-AAP remarks, alleging that Maken has been acting under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Ajay Maken has gone too far by labeling Arvind Kejriwal, the most favored leader in Delhi, as anti-national," Singh stated.

He further charged that the Congress is instigating smear campaigns against the AAP in collaboration with the BJP, noting that the Youth Congress has even lodged a complaint against Kejriwal and CM Atishi.

Singh asserted that in the Lok Sabha elections, AAP supported Congress candidates as part of the INDIA bloc strategy, yet Congress has been acting contrary to the spirit of the alliance.

"It seems that the list of Congress candidates in Delhi is directly sourced from the BJP office, and funds for their candidates are allegedly supplied by the BJP," he claimed.

Reinforcing these allegations, Atishi revealed that sources indicate BJP funding for Congress candidates in Delhi. "Sandeep Dikshit and the Congress candidate from Jangpura, Farhad Suri, are receiving support from the BJP. It is now clear that Congress has a connection with BJP in the Delhi elections," she asserted.

"Ajay Maken's unfounded and shocking claim of branding Arvind Kejriwal as anti-national reveals the true motives of the Congress. Has Congress ever made such accusations against the BJP? If Congress fails to take action against Maken, AAP will call upon other INDIA bloc partners to expel Congress from the coalition," she declared.

“AAP will not allow efforts to diminish our standing in Delhi or compromise the mission of the INDIA bloc. Congress needs to choose whether it wants to align with the alliance or oppose it," Atishi emphasized.

Maken had, on Wednesday, accused Kejriwal of corruption and administrative shortcomings. His claims included allegations of mismanagement during the Covid-19 pandemic and unfulfilled commitments such as the implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill in AAP-governed states.

"Even after 3,652 days, the Jan Lokpal has not been enacted, despite these individuals gaining power on the pledge to enforce it,” he queried, adding: "Why has the Jan Lokpal not been implemented in Punjab, where they possess complete authority?"

"During the pandemic, when lives were at stake, Arvind Kejriwal squandered crores on an extravagant residence. Even after 11 years, ration cards have not been issued to thousands of families in Delhi," Maken stated.

He also claimed that funds designated for welfare initiatives were misallocated to advertising campaigns.