AAP 'B team of BJP', says Ajay Maken over N D Gupta's RS nomination

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken today termed the AAP as the "B team of the BJP" and claimed that N D Gupta was named as one of its three candidates to the Rajya Sabha because of his "closeness" to a Union minister.

At a press conference, he alleged that the AAP was sending N D Gupta to the Rajya Sabha with the support of the BJP.

AAP has said that Gupta handled their income tax matters, Maken alleged.

"Gupta has years of relation with a Union Minister. There is match-fixing between Modi and Kejriwal. So, do not expect anything in cases filed by different central agencies against AAP leaders," the Congress leader charged.

"AAP is the B-team of the BJP," he alleged.

The Aam Aadmi Party had on Wednesday nominated senior party leader Sanjay Singh, Delhi-based businessman Sushil Gupta and N D Gupta, a chartered accountant, as its Rajya Sabha nominees. They filed their nominations yesterday.

Maken also criticised AAP's nomination of Sushil Gupta for the Rajya Sabha, saying, "When he came to submit his resignation from the Congress, he told me that he was offered a Rajya Sabha seat by the AAP. I said it is impossible."

"He is not a mass-based leader," the Delhi congress chief claimed.

He alleged that behind selection of its Rajya Sabha candidates, the AAP was "hiding things" and there was "chaos" in the party over the matter.

Soon after the Aam Aadmi Party announced its Rajya Sabha nominees, disgruntled AAP leader Kumar Vishwas on Wednesday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying that he has been punished for speaking the truth.

Vishwas, who was angling for an RS slot, had said that it is difficult to survive in the the Aam Aadmi Party if one disagrees with Kejriwal.