On AAP’s New Year platter: ED summons, nominations for Rajya Sabha

Party leaders said there was no clarity on whether Kejriwal will appear before ED for questioning on January 3.

Kejriwal, who had gone to Hoshiarpur in Punjab for a Vipassana meditation session and returned to Delhi Saturday, presided over AAP’s national executive and national council meetings via video conferencing on Sunday. He was joined by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and National Organisation General Secretary Sandeep Pathak.

During the meetings, Kejriwal emphasised on expanding the party’s footprint and strengthening the organisation across the country. “The AAP is a part of the INDIA alliance in the Lok Sabha elections. We must contest well on the seats we get in seat sharing, and our entire effort would be to win all those seats. Volunteers of the party from states where the AAP isn’t contesting Lok Sabha elections will come and help in the places where elections are being contested,” Kejriwal said. “After the Lok Sabha elections, the Haryana Assembly election is the most significant for us. The AAP intends to form the government in Haryana…There’s a possibility of elections in Haryana in October-November,” he added.

Kejriwal said that a lot of work had been done in Punjab over the past two years. He highlighted schemes such as free power, mohalla clinics, pilgrimages for senior citizens, and infrastructure upgrade in schools.

Hitting out at the BJP and the Congress, Kejriwal said, “These people have replaced the word manifesto with ‘guarantee’, a term stolen from us. They have started talking about ‘Modi’s guarantee’ and ‘Congress’s’ guarantee.’ These people have given guarantees to the public, but none fulfilled them because their intentions are not right… our leaders who are in jail are our heroes, and we are very proud of them.

If you talk about giving good education and free medical treatment, then going to jail will be necessary, and we must be prepared for it.”

Meanwhile, according to party insiders, with the terms of its three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi — Sanjay Singh, ND Gupta and Sushil Gupta — ending soon, there is also speculation among party members regarding renomination.

“These are two key questions for the party at the moment. The CM has returned after his meditation session and a decision on both counts is expected soon. When it comes to Rajya Sabha nominees, several factors, including Sanjay Singh’s arrest and subsequent judicial custody, have to be taken into account,” a senior party leader said.

Sources said that the party may have to take the hard call to nominate someone else for Rajya Sabha, and a surprise announcement could be in the wings.

“Both Manish Sisodia and Vijay Nair, two important party leaders, have been in jail for several months and have been denied bail several times. In a situation like this, renominating Singh, who is in jail at present, may hurt the party,” the party insider said.