Today, the Election Commission finally signaled the death knell for the membership of 20 AAP MLAs embroiled in the “office of profit” case. These MLAs had been appointed as parliamentary secretaries in 2015. Advocate Prashant Patel had then approached the EC seeking their disqualification since they had obtained pecuniary benefits like office space, vehicles etc. The EC today had reportedly sent its recommendation to the President of India to disqualify these MLAs.
AAP on its part has claimed that they did not get sufficient time to present its case before the EC. This claim does not make sense since the EC had repeatedly extended the deadlines. As a last resort, AAP now plans to appeal against this decision in the High Court.
Out of favour AAP MLA and former minister Kapil Mishra meanwhile has made a big claim on Twitter. He has claimed that this move of approaching the High Court is nothing but a delaying tactic. He further says he believes that if the 20 seats go for re-election, there would be a “new Government” in Delhi:
By moving to High Court, Kejriwal want to delay Elections in 20 seats.
Soon there will be Re Election in 20 Seats.
Let me put in on record – There will be a “New Govt” in Delhi after result of 20 MLAs Re-Election.
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 19, 2018
He has also claimed that 12 of the 20 MLAs will not get tickets again from AAP:
By moving to High Court, Kejriwal want to delay Elections in 20 seats.
Soon there will be Re Election in 20 Seats.
Let me put in on record – There will be a “New Govt” in Delhi after result of 20 MLAs Re-Election.
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 19, 2018
This claim may seem unbelievable at first. It is basic mathematics to derive that even if all 20 MLAs of AAP lose, AAP will still have 47 MLAs in the assembly, out of a total of 70. This scenario of AAP losing all seats itself seems unlikely, even with AAP losing credibility.
So what is Mishra saying? Is he hinting at a rebellion? Remember, the balance 47 MLAs include MLAs like Mishra himself, and some others like Devinder Sehrawat who have been vocally anti-AAP. Sehrawat in fact has been suspended from the party. Further, since the time of 67 MLAs, AAP has lost many of its core members. The likes of Prashant Bhushan and Yogender Yadav have been expelled. Will they manage to pull a handful of MLAs loyal to them?
Besides these external forces, AAP has to contend with internal foes as well. Kumar Vishwas has recently openly attacked Kejriwal after the issue of distribution of Rajya Sabha seats. As a founding member, will he too manage to pull the rug from under Kejriwal?
Also Mishra does not say “a new party will form the Government”. He only says, a “new government” will be formed, and he very carefully has put the words “new government” in quotes. What does this mean? Does he mean AAP MLAs themselves will engineer a coup to dethrone their supremo Kejriwal? Will the Aam Aadmi Party sans Kejriwal, resort to the founding principles of its party i.e. Swaraj?
