AAP leader Khetan resigns from DDC
Says he wants to practice law, thanks Kejri for providing opportunity to be part of panel
A day after Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) government’s General Administration Department cancelled the appointments of nine advisors, journalistturned AAP leader and vice- chairman of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission ( DDC) Ashish Khetan on Wednesday surprised one and all by resigning from the post, saying he now wanted to practise law.
Sources indicated that party leader Atishi Marlena may succeed him.
The likely appointment of Ms Marlena could take place after her removal as advisor to deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, following a direction of the Union home ministry.
Arunoday Prakash and Amardeep Tiwari, the other advisors who were removed along with Ms Marlena, could also be accommodated in governmentassociated bodies.
Mr Khetan, a trusted aide of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, was appointed the vice- chairman of the DDC, an advisory body of the AAP government, three years ago. The DDC is headed by Mr Kejriwal.
He had also contested the last Lok Sabha elections from New Delhi seat. Many in the AAP said that Mr Khaitan has resigned so that he could devote more time to his constituency for the 2019 parliamentary elections.
On his Twitter, Mr Khaitan wrote: “I have resigned as V- C, DDC, with effect from April 16. During the past three years I had a unique opportunity to shape public policy and bring about reform and change in governance. I am grateful to Arvind Kejriwal, the Hon’ble CM, for giving me this wonderful opportunity.”
In another tweet, he said: “I am joining the legal profession and enrolling with the Bar at Delhi, which actually necessitated my resignation from the DDC. Bar Council rules prohibit practicing advocates from any kind of private or government employment.”