Mishra says not leaving party, starts 'Let's clean AAP' campaign

Suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday launched a campaign to rid the ruling party of a "few corrupt people", but stated he would not leave the Aam Aadmi Party.

Mishra, who was first sacked as Delhi Water Minister and then suspended from the party, urged party workers and former members of the India Against Corruption to come together and join his 'Let's clean AAP' campaign.

"My request to all those who left the party and party workers -- we don't have to leave this party, we have to snatch it back from the corrupt people... I am launching a campaign called 'Let's clean AAP'. I urge all party workers to come together and clean the party," said Mishra.

"We had started the 'India Against Corruption' campaign. We have made this party. It is not the time to leave the party, it is time to snatch it back. Give a missed call at 7863037300 to fight against corruption with me," he said.

"Connect with this campaign... Whoever wants 'Corruption free Delhi' and 'Kejriwal free Delhi' can join us," he added.

Just because some people are corrupt, that does not mean AAP's revolution should end, he said.

"I won't leave or form another party. It's time to weed out the corrupt people," he said.

Mishra alleged that Sanjay Singh, Ashish Talwar, Vibhav Kumar, Durgesh Pathak, Dilip Panday have "hijacked" the party.

He apologised to former AAP leaders and Swaraj India founders, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, and said the party should have paid heed to their views when they had raised concerns.

"I apologise to everyone, including Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, who I may have offended when I stood by (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal," Mishra said.

During a press conference, Mishra alleged that the Russia tour of AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh was funded by businessman Sheetal Prasad Singh, a person related to a company which is facing probe in a Rs 400 crore scam.

Mishra alleged that Singh was linked to several companies involved in the scam relating to high security number plates, and the Anti-Corruption Branch was probing the issue.

He also claimed that when the AAP first came to power, a committee was set up to investigate the scam but it was later disbanded in 2015.

Mishra asked Kejriwal whether he knew about the source of the tour's funding, and why no action was taken against the company after the AAP returned to power.

"I have posed nine questions to Arvind Kejriwal as I got details about one foreign tour of Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh. When will you make details of all foreign tours of AAP leaders public?" he asked.

AAP government spokesperson Nagendar Sharma, however, said Mishra was being misguided about the high security number plate scam.

"Horribly wrong script being handed over to Kapil Mishra - poor fellow has no clue of what he's speaking! Who is misguiding him," Sharma tweeted, but did not respond to the allegations.

--IANS

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