A sting operation on eight candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party,including Shazia Ilmi,which alleged that they were ready to raise funds through illegal means put the party on the backfoot and its chief Arvind Kejriwal promised swift action if anyone is guilty. The AAP,one of its leaders said,was reconsidering the candidature of those in the sting,including Shazia Ilmi,after it was aired on Thursday on online news portal Media Sarkar and copies distributed in CDs. The sting also comes at a time when the government is probing sources of the AAP funds and Anna Hazare has questioned the collection of money in his name. The purported sting operation was conducted by reporters of Media Sarkar. Its CEO Anuranjan Jha said: This sting operation was conducted over the last month and involves eight candidates and one party leader. Two reporters were involved and we have AAP candidates on tape agreeing to take money without receipts and even do unconstitutional things. He said the website had been in operation for the last four years. In the tape,the reporters approaches Shazia to turn up at a protest venue. Shazia says she would need to look at legal documents first. The reporter then offers to make donations and says part of it would be in cash. Shazia says receipts are mandatory,but when the reporter says she doesnt want her outfit named in the receipt,Shazia suggests that the money be handed over to AAP volunteers. Late at night,a PTI report quoted Shazia as saying she was ready to withdraw her candidature. It is an extremely important fight for AAP. But because of the underhand shoddy sting operation,I will not allow my party's image to be sullied. I offer to withdraw my candidature and not contest elections until and unless my name is cleared, she said. Sources in AAP said Kejriwal called an emergency meeting. He tweeted,Some sting ops done on our candidates. Our team,including Sanjay Singh and Yogendra Yadav,looking into it. We will not spare if anyone is guilty. We will walk the talk. There wud (would) be absolutely no compromise against corruption. According to party leaders,the AAP political action committee was even considering dropping certain candidates. An AAP statement released later stated: We have constituted a committee to probe these charges,it seems politically motivated. If charges are proven,then we may even drop candidates.
