Take on Mulayam in polls from Mainpuri, AAP tells Durga Shakti Nagpal

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Friday asked suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal to join it and contest elections against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri constituency in the 2014 general elections.

AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said Nagpal should set a new example by coming forward.

"We have invited Durga Shakti Nagpalji to contest against Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri constituency on the Aam Aadmi Party ticket, so that no other officer like her faces the wrath of a corrupt Samajwadi Party government," Vishwas told reporters here.

Nagpal was suspended last month ostensibly for taking on the sand mafia and for ordering the demolition of a wall of a mosque that was being built on government land in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed.

Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it as an 'administrative decision', against her for demolishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government said removing Nagpal was an "administrative decision" as her decision to demolish the mosque could trigger communal tension, especially since it came during the month of Ramzan.

Defending his government's action, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said the bureaucrat ordered the demolition of a portion of the mosque which might have resulted in disturbing peace in the state.

"You should inquire from the people of that village. The Muslim families collected donation for building a mosque, a wall was built, and you took the decision without holding any consultation and spoilt the environment there," he said.

Yadav said there was no matter of mining for which the action was taken.

"The government will act against all those who act against goodwill and brotherhood or try to spoil the environment by of their work," he added, while rubbishing reports that the government acted tough only because it was a matter of illegal mining.

"If you look at the record of last two to three months then you will come to know that truck and machines were caught. We are also desirous that illegal mining should not take place," he added.