Arvind Kejriwal unfollowed me on Twitter, says AAP lawmaker Alka Lamba

New Delhi, Feb 04: AAP lawmaker Alka Lamba on Monday implied that she is being sidelined in the party.

"I have a strong feeling that the party does not need my services at all," she told news agency PTI, adding that she has been dropped from official WhatsApp groups. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also unfollowed her on Twitter, she claimed, indicating fresh trouble in the party that has seen many unceremonious ousters.

"Such things, like removing from WhatsApp groups, unfollowing on Twitter and not inviting in meetings make me feel that I deserve the same position and respect as other MLAs have. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for me to continue. I cannot compromise my self respect," said the lawmaker from Chandni Chowk.

Lamba claimed last year that she was asked by the party leadership to resign over her opposition to a resolution in Delhi assembly that sought to withdraw late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna over his alleged failure to curb the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The AAP later said the resolution was not passed.

Senior leader Manish Sisodia had denied Lamba's charge. "We haven't asked anybody to resign and nobody is resigning," he had said.

The AAP and the Congress were in talks for an alliance in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The talks went south after the incident, with both parties announcing to contest the polls on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi.

There were speculation that Ms Lamba was cozying to the Congress. Today, she dismissed the charge. "It is being assumed that I am going to join the Congress though I have not uttered a word against the AAP or its leaders. But on the other hand, efforts to ally with the Congress through a ''Mahagathbandhan'' are considered okay by them," she said.

Since its inception, Kejriwal's party has weathered many storms. Party co-founders Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav, Shazia Ilmi, Kumar Vishwas have quit the party over the years, following differences with Kejriwal.

PTI