The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed its MlA Alka lamba as the party spokesperson. While the reports suggest that she was removed after she “deviated from party line” while making a statement on Transport Minister Gopal Rai being relieved of the charge, the party has refused to comment on the issue calling it an “internal matter “.
Chandni Chowk MlA, lamba came under fire after giving a statement that Rai had been “relieved” of the portfolio so that the AAP Government’s premium bus scheme could be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch in a free and fair manner.
The opposition BJP had approached the ACB demanding a probe into this matter. The ruling AAP had maintained that Rai was divested of the Transport portfolio on his request that he had undergone a surgery.
“His health was really bad and the party is very concerned about him. He still spends around 95 per cent of his time in hospitals. The organisation decided to relieve him of the portfolio which consumes a lot of time and energy. This could allow him to concentrate on his health,” said AAP’s Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey in a Press conference at party headquarters on Thursday.
He said the Transport Minister was relieved of the post “purely” on health grounds and one should not “connect wrong dots”.
Reacting to the development, lamba, who is also a Parliamentary Secretary, said she was a disciplined worker and respected the party’s decision. “If I have inadvertently made any mistake then I will surely do penance for it so that my party, which has been fighting corruption, does not get harmed because of me,” she twitted.
Party sources said the AAP MlA had been warned several times for her statements and comments on the social media, which were not in sync with the party. “lamba had been given instructions not to talk or post anything if she was not aware of the party line. In the past 7-8 months, she had been warned several times. In this matter when Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was already speaking, there was no need for her to make a statement which was incorrect,” a senior party leader said.