MLAs with no alternative income source facing 'financial challenges': AAP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj on Saturday said that the legislators, who do not have an alternative source of income, are facing 'financial challenges' and called for a debate on the issue of their salary hike.

"I am not aware of any proposal in this regard...There are different kinds of MLAs, there are some who have alternative source of income like from house rent or some other business, they are doing fine. But for a normal MLA, who has left his job or became an MLA while studying, such MLAs are facing financial challenges," Bhardwaj told ANI.

"The salary component is Rs. 12, 000 which along with various allowances comes to around Rs. 80, 000...There are various allowances like stationary allowance, office allowance, and other such allowances, the salary component is only Rs. 12 000.... There should be a debate on this matter... It is not a demand, but a concern expressed by some MLAs," he added.

Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay , however, today alleged that the demands put forward by the AAP leaders with regards to the hike in salary has exposed the two-faced nature their policies.

"The kind of demand that has been put forward by the MLAs for salary hike, I would like to say that no MLA from any party has ever demanded a salary hike. When the AAP was formed under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, they created an atmosphere wherein they claimed to bring a different kind of governance in Delhi. They claimed to never support the VIP culture or use cars and bungalows or any kind of perks because they are 'common' people," Upadhyay said.

A delegation of 20 AAP legislators had yesterday met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanding a hike in their salaries.