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Ashu poser to Kejriwal: ‘Will you let Arora to continue in Rajya Sabha if he loses’

Congress candidate challenges Kejriwal on AAP's Rajya Sabha plans if Sanjay Arora loses Ludhiana West bypoll

Arvind Kejriwal while campaigning in Ludhiana (Express photo)

The Congress Thursday demanded that the ruling AAP in general, and its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in particular, must tell people of Punjab what would be the party’s stand on the Rajya Sabha seat from state in both scenarios — if Sanjeev Arora wins or loses the June 19 Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll.

The AAP has fielded Arora, its Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, as the bypoll candidate amid allegations by the Opposition that the ruling party has nominated him to “facilitate the backdoor entry of Kejriwal into the Upper House”, a charge that AAP has denied several times in the past.

Ashu, a former two-time MLA and the Congress candidate for teh bypoll, posed three questions to Kejriwal and AAP.

Raising the first question, Ashu asked ‟Kejriwal Sahab to please tell the people of Punjab in general and Ludhiana in particular whether you will allow Sanjeev Arora Ji to continue as the Rajya Sabha member after June 23 once the election results are declared and he loses”.

‟Yes or no? You cannot escape the specific answer by claiming that ‘he is going to win and he will obviously go to the Vidhan Sabha’… I am saying that because you are nobody to decide and I am nobody to decide at this stage, as it is the people of Ludhiana West who will decide. And I am confident that Sanjeev Arora will not win. Will you clarify whether you will let him continue as the Rajya Sabha MP or force him to resign to make way for yourself for Rajya Sabha ? This is a very important question and people of Punjab want you to answer,” said Ashu.

In his second question, Ashu asked Kejriwal to tell the people of Punjab that in case he forces Arora to resign after elections irrespective of the outcome, whom will he send to the Rajya Sabha in his place? ‟Will you be going yourself or will you nominate some Punjabi to represent Punjab. This question is related to Punjabis’ rights. Please do answer. You have already sent three non-Punjabi outsiders to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. Will you steal the fourth Rajya Sabha seat also from the Punjabis or replace a Punjabi with another Punjabi,” the Congress leader asked.

“Question number Three. If, and in all probability, you will force Arora to resign and you decide to go to the Rajya Sabha yourself, will you get your name deleted from the New Delhi Assembly segment and register yourself as a voter anywhere in Punjab. We Punjabis are large hearted. We will accept you…You may not become a Punjabi by heart, but you will still be a naturalized Punjabi. In any case you are using every facility in Punjab. Morality demands you either stop using Punjab’s privileges, or opt Punjab as your home,” said Ashu.