Is there any deal between you and Sushil Gupta: BJP asks Kejriwal

The BJP on Friday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for naming city businessman Sushil Gupta as AAP's candidate for the Rajya Sabha and asked if there was any "deal".

At a time, when the number of beds in government hospitals were falling, a private hospital owner was nominated, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Manoj Tiwari told the media here.

"On one hand, the number of beds in the government hospital is coming down, and on the other hand, Kejriwal has given ticket to the owner of a private hospital," he said.

"I want to ask the Chief Minister is there any link or any deal," Tiwari questioned two days after the AAP on Wednesday named Gupta, besides a chartered accountant N.D. Gupta and party leader Sanjay Singh as its Rajya Sabha candidates.

"Before coming to power in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party had said it would increase the beds in the government hospital," Tiwari said.

He also said that an RTI has revealed that the GB Pant Hospital, which has a capacity of 758 beds, has a lower bed-strength now at 735.

On Thursday, all the three candidates filed their respective nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.

"I am asking this because the people in Delhi are questioning your decision to name businessman Sushil Gupta as the party's candidate for the Rajya Sabha," Tiwari said.

The BJP MP from northeast Delhi alleged that even in Delhi's Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, only 100 beds were available for patients while it has a capacity of 250 beds.

"When we sent an RTI query to the Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital in Khichdipur area about the number of beds, the hospital said that they have no information about the beds with them," Tiwari said.

He also asked the AAP national convenor, for what reason he was punishing the people of Delhi.

Tiwari also questioned the Chief Minister's motive behind giving 50 per cent reservation to the people of Delhi in GB Pant hospital, while referring to a December order of the Delhi government.

Tiwari said he was seeking clarification on the "Rajya Sabha deal" on behalf of the people in the city.

--IANS

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