Stay away from sycophants, AAP MLA Rajesh Rishi tweets to Kejriwal

Trouble seems to be brewing in Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the municipal elections, with another legislator coming out in public to air grievances against the top leaders.

Without taking names, Janakpuri MLA Rajesh Rishi took to Twitter, advising chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to stay away from “sycophants”. The legislator has also tagged party leader Kumar Vishwas in some tweets.

Three days ago, Bawana legislator Ved Prakash had quit the AAP and Delhi assembly, accusing the party of “suppressing” internal democracy and failing to deliver on poll promises.

In a series of tweets, most of which were removed by him later, Rishi said that too many sycophants around a ruler is a recipe for disaster.

When contacted, Rishi maintained that he was not going the Bawana legislator’s way. However, he agreed that he was unhappy with the way some leaders around the CM have “monopolised” the party’s functioning and he had no say in ticket distribution for municipal elections in his constituency.

“I have been a party volunteer since the India Against Corruption days. So, there is no question of leaving AAP and joining the BJP or Congress. But, I have reservations about the people who have been fielded in my constituency. In one ward, an outsider has been preferred over party volunteers. I tried, but could not pass on my feedback to our top leader by any other means. I hope my voice will now be heard,” Rishi told HT.

AAP has fielded former Congress councillor Sanjay Puri from one of the four municipal wards in Janakpuri.

The growing internal strife could spell trouble for APP that had faced a drubbing in Punjab assembly polls, hitting morale of the party workers. The party MLAs showing open defiance could add up to their problems ahead of the April 23 civic polls.

Of AAP’s 66 Delhi MLAs, many have turned rebels over the past two years, including Devinder Sehrawat, Pankaj Pushkar and Asim Ahmed Khan.