Swati Maliwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP, has been asked to resign following her controversial remarks criticizing the nomination of Atishi as Delhi's next Chief Minister.
Maliwal's comments came after Atishi was unanimously chosen to succeed Arvind Kejriwal during an AAP legislature party meeting.
Dilip Pandey, a senior AAP leader, confirmed the party’s stance, accusing Maliwal of "following a BJP script."
Maliwal had expressed her discontent on social media, describing the nomination of Atishi as a "sad day for Delhi" and referred to her as a "dummy CM." She also raised concerns about Atishi's family’s past involvement in petitioning for clemency for Afzal Guru, a convicted terrorist, implying a potential threat to national security.
Maliwal’s remarks surfaced after AAP formally declared Atishi as the successor to Arvind Kejriwal, who is set to resign as Chief Minister. Minister Gopal Rai confirmed that Atishi had received unanimous backing from AAP members and would lead the government until the next Assembly elections.
Atishi, currently the Delhi government’s Education and Public Works Minister, is known for her contributions to overhauling the city's education system. An Oxford University graduate and Rhodes scholar, she became a minister after Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested in connection with a liquor scam case.
While sharing details of the leadership change, Gopal Rai criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the central government, accusing them of orchestrating AAP's downfall.