Kejriwal has no 'moral right' to govern Delhi: Congress

The Congress today demanded the resignation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he has no "moral right" to continue in power after the Election Commission recommended the disqualification of 20 legislators of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for holding offices of profit.

Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said his party will launch a "Jan Andolan" from January 22 demanding Kejriwal's government's removal and expose him on the corruption issue.

"Arvind Kejriwal has no moral right to be in power and he should resign. Half of his cabinet ministers have been removed on corruption charges and the remaining half are embroiled in corruption too. Twenty of his MLAs, who enjoyed ministerial perks, would be disqualified now," Maken told reporters.
 

The Congress's demand came after the EC today recommended to the President the disqualification of 20 of AAP MLAs for holding offices of profit. The recommendation came as a blow to the ruling party in Delhi, after recent electoral setbacks.

In its opinion sent to President Ram Nath Kovind, the poll panel has said that by being parliamentary secretaries, these MLAs held offices of profit and thus, were liable to be disqualified from the Delhi Assembly, sources said.

The president is bound to go by the EC's recommendation.

Under the rules, petitions to the president seeking disqualification of lawmakers are referred to the EC. The poll panel takes a decision and sends its recommendation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan which is accepted.

Maken said Kejriwal, who won the election in Delhi making corruption his party's poll plank, has used taxpayers' money to provide benefits to his MLAs.

"We are happy the Election Commission has taken this decision," he said, recalling how in June 2016 the Congress has petitioned against 21 AAP MLAs for holding offices of profit.

He said the entire exercise conducted by the EC on the issue would have gone waste had Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti not given the verdict now as he would have retired as has former CEC Nasim Zaidi.

Election Commissioner O P Rawat has already recused himself from the issue.

Questioning Kejriwal on political probity, Maken said, "Where is Lokpal? The MLAs and ministers enjoying perks of power and foreign travel - Where is political probity?" he tweeted.

The Congress leader said the EC should decide the matter soon as it has already delayed a decision on their complaint against AAP legislators.

Maken, who is also the Delhi Congress chief, said the president should take a decision on the issue soon and elections should be held early on these 20 seats.

He said it was the Delhi Congress, which in June 2016, had first moved the petition against AAP MLAs for holding offices of profit as they were made parliamentary secretaries and given perks and perquisites of cars and offices.

Maken said the Delhi Congress was ready for polls and has held a meeting with its former MLAs representing these seats to gear up for fresh elections. He said Congres leaders have represented some of these seats 4-5 times.

He said the Congress will launch a protest from January 22 by holding 'dharnas' in each of these 20 constituencies to "expose the double standards" of the Kejriwal government.

He said partymen will assemble at the Pradesh Congress Committee office and march to Players Building, the headquarter of Delhi government, and demonstrate there.

Maken also recalled how then Congress President Sonia Gandhi had in 2005 resigned from her seat and recontested after a petition came up against her for holding an office of profit.

Asked what would Congress do as AAP has moved court, the Congress leader said the party would also move a caveat before the court.

In the present case, once the president accepts the opinion, by-elections will have to be held for the 20 Assembly seats. The ruling AAP has a massive majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly with 65 seats.

The disqualification will not endanger the Kejriwal government though its numbers will come down to 45. They would still enjoy a comfortable majority.