Vishwas sacked as AAP Rajasthan chief, replaced with Deepak Bajpai

Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday removed founder member Kumar Vishwas as the in-charge of its Rajasthan unit, where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year, and replaced him with Deepak Bajpai.

“Kumar Vishwas was not able to spare enough time for election preparations due to his preoccupations. Deepak Bajpai has been given the charge so that he can stay in Rajasthan and strengthen the organisation and prepare a strategy for the polls later this year,” AAP national spokesperson Ashutosh said on Wednesday.

“The decision to replace Vishwas with Bajpai was taken in the PAC (political affairs committee) meeting held (in New Delhi) two days ago. Vishwas was inactive for quite some time. He was not talking about Rajasthan nor visiting the state,” AAP’S Rajasthan coordinator Devender Shastri said.

Following the decision, Vishwas sent out a statement declaring that he had learnt about his replacement through the media, and that the party never informed him.

Referring to AAP’S statement that the decision was taken during a meeting of a top party panel, he said he was not invited even though he is a member.

“The fact that the meeting was held in such a manner clearly means that Kumar Vishwas was made the Rajasthan in-charge not to further AAP’S political footprint but only as a way to shut down the criticism coming in following the Amanatullah controversy,” said Vishwas’ statement.

Earlier, leaders from the Rajasthan of AAP had written to Vishwas in December last year, expressing their angst and saying that his “prolonged absence” from the state has deeply damaged the party.