Swaraj India hails EC move to disqualify 20 AAP MLAs

Swaraj India on Friday supported the Election Commission's (EC) move recommending disqualification of 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators for holding office of profit.

The appointment of legislators as parliamentary secretaries was not just a technical violation of constitutional norms but also a serious case of political immorality, the party said.

"The recommendation of by EC to disqualify 20 AAP legislators for holding office of profit is on expected lines. The appointment of legislators was not just a technical violation of constitutional norms, but a serious case of political immorality by Kejriwal," Anupam, the Delhi chief of the party, said.

"It is also a time to point to the real reason behind the illegal appointment of 21 legislators (one resigned earlier to contest Punjab Assembly election) to office of profit.

"In his desperation for power and to influence his legislators when Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan questioned the absence of principles, transparency and accountability in the party, Arvind Kejriwal offered them the post of parliamentary secretaries to ensure personal loyalty," Anupam said.

"Thus, these appointments were not only constitutionally illegal but also a case of political corruption, which has become a feature of Kejriwal brand of politics," the Swaraj India's Delhi president said.

"The unholy attempts in the past by Kejriwal to amend the concerned act with retrospective effect made it even more evident that the AAP government was caught on the wrong foot. People of Delhi are closely watching these misadventures of Kejriwal government and will punish them in the next elections," he added.

--IANS

sp/nir/dg