Senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas went public with his fight against party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday as the party ignored him and named its member Sanjay Singh, Delhi-based businessman with past Congress links Sushil Gupta and Narain Dass Gupta as nominees for the Rajya Sabha.
Vishwas said he was being punished for speaking the "truth". He said Kejriwal had once said that he will "finish" him but never let him be a "martyr". "I want to congratulate Kejriwal that I have accepted my martyrdom," he told reporters at his residence.
Party leader Ashutosh, also ignored, objected as well to billionaire businessman's Sushil Gupta's nomination, during the meeting of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), where Vishwas was not present despite being its member.
Elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi would be held on January 16. AAP had earlier approached former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan who had declined the offer. Party leaders had also claimed that former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur had also turned down the offer.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made the announcement after the PAC meeting at Chief Minister Kejriwal's residence.
Sisodia claimed the party members unanimously endorsed the candidates. However, sources said there was dissent. There were 18 candidates in the race. All nine PAC members who attended the meeting favoured Singh's candidature.
Vishwas has been fancying his chances for an RS berth. Slamming Kejriwal for nominating ND Gupta and Sushil Gupta to the Raya Sabha, Vishwas said that he wanted to congratulate AAP volunteers that their voice has been heard in choosing the "great revolutionaries". ND Gupta is considered an expert on GST.
Sisodia said both new faces and AAP share the same ideology. "Sushil Gupta has made big contributions in the education and health sectors in Delhi and Haryana. He provides free education to 15,000 children. And ND Gupta is the former president of the ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountant of India)," he said during a press conference.
Former AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan also criticised the AAP's decision. Yadav alleged that Kejriwal has struck a "financial deal" with Sushil Gupta. "I used to say, whatever his other faults, Kejriwal cannot be bought. Defended him against Kapil Mishra's allegations. Now I don't know what to say. Speechless, ashamed and numb," he tweeted.
Leaders from the Opposition parties also hit out at Kejriwal. "AAP has betrayed the people by nominating two businessmen for the polls to the Upper House," said Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari.
State Congress chief Ajay Maken also took to Twitter, saying Sushil Gupta knew about his possible nomination as early as November. "Otherwise, Sushil is a good man known for his charity!"
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kumar Vishwas")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}