CM Kejriwal has lost moral right to govern, should quit: AAP splinter group

Pune, Jun 12: As AAP grapples with controversy over allegations against its MLAs, its splinter group Swaraj Abhiyan has called for the resignation of party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he has lost the "moral right" to govern.

Maruti Bhapkar, a founder member of the Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan-led Swaraj Abhiyan in Maharashtra, charged that the controversies involving AAP MLAs and former Delhi Law Ministers Jitender Singh Tomar and Somnath Bharti have shown the "moral bankruptcy of the Kejriwal-led AAP".

"In view of the unsavoury development involving Tomar, Kejriwal has lost moral right to govern the state as chief minister and should resign forthwith," Bhapkar told PTI.

"The Tomar episode as well as the complaint against former law minister Bharti made by his wife show the moral bankruptcy of the Kejriwal-led AAP," he added.

He further alleged that the AAP leadership had chosen to ignore the objections cited by the Yadav and Bhushan -- the duo who have since been ousted from the party -- at their first National Council meeting held after the Delhi Assembly elections.

Tomar, an MLA from Delhi's Trinagar constituency, was arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday and remanded in four-day police custody following allegations that he not only submitted fake science graduation degree and law mark sheets to register with the Bar Council of Delhi, but also forged a migration certificate.

Bharti's wife has complained to the Delhi Women's Commission against her husband, charging him with unleashing dogs on her when she was pregnant and subjecting her to severe mental and physical torture. The AAP MLA has termed the allegations "baseless".

PTI