Anna says not in contact with Kejriwal

Reacting on the 'office of profit' case, social activist Anna Hazare said on Friday that he has not been in contact with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, since the day he formed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"We parted our ways the day Arvind Kejriwal formed Aam Aadmi Party. We are not in contact anymore. I had told him not to form a party. Nation cannot be served by forming a party, had that been the case, the scenario would have been different in 70 years of independence," Anna, the former mentor of the Delhi Chief Minister, told the media.

In a big setback for the anti-corruption party, AAP, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today recommended to the President that 20 of party MLAs be disqualified for allegedly holding the office of profit.

The ECI has sent its recommendation to the President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent and it remains to be seen what action he takes on it. In cases where petitions are made seeking disqualification of lawmakers, the President sends a reference to the ECI which decides on the case and sends back its opinion.

In the current scenario, the petition was directed at 21 MLAs, but one has resigned.

If the president gives his assent, the disqualification of the legislators would pave the way for bye-elections in Delhi.

The MLAs' pleas that the case against them be dropped were rejected by the ECI in June 2017.