AAP asks suspended IAS officer to join party

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Friday asked suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal to join the party and contest polls against Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri parliamentary constituency.

"It is ironical that Durga Shakti Nagpal is seeking justice from the system which is opposed to her. We appeal to her to contest elections against Mulayam Singh Yadav from the Mainpuri constituency," AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here.

He added that if Nagpal is hesitant to join the AAP she can contest independently against the three-time chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Kejriwal said a referendum will be held among AAP's cadre in Mainpuri on the candidature of Nagpal.

The AAP also attacked the Congress party for indulging in rhetoric.

"Congress is not intervening in the matter as it sees Samajwadi Party gaining 10-15 seats in the upcoming general elections," AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said.

Nagpal, who took on the sand mining mafia in Greater Noida (Gautam Budh Nagar), was suspended July 28. The UP government has, however, cited a different reason for her suspension. It said she was suspended for ordering demolition of a wall of a religious place in Noida.

However, the Noida district magistrate in a report said that Nagpal had not ordered the demolition.