Sacked min campaigning for BJP candidate raises eyebrows

Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Sandeep Kumar, who was sacked over a sex CD row, was reportedly seen on Sunday going on door-to-door campaigns for Bharatiya Janata Party's MCD election candidate for Narela, Savita Khatri.

On being asked why he was campaigning for the BJP candidate, Kumar said that Khatri's husband is his close friend, which why he was campaigning for her.

Reacting over the episode, sources in the BJP said the party strongly condemns "the mischief by the AAP leadership and, for us, people like Sandeep Kumar are taboo and will continue to be taboo."

"There is no place in BJP for likes of Sandeep Kumar, Sharad Chauhan, Somnath Bharti and Amanutullah Khan," the source added.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP also challenged Arvind Kejriwal to first expel Sandeep Kumar, Somnath Bharti, Sharad Chauhan and Amanutullah Khan before raising any finger towards others.

During the campaign, Kumar alleged that AAP indulges in caste-based politics.

Kumar further said: "Kejriwal is fooling and misleading Delhi's people with his broom."

Meanwhile, the BJP maintained that it had not officially called Kumar to campaign for its candidate.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga on Monday tweeted: "BJP never invited him for campaign,He came along with media. BJP Office Bearers & Karyakartas sent him back from Rally venue in few Seconds."

Delhi BJP vice-president Rajiv Babbar, during a press meet, said that the move felt like a deliberate attempt by AAP to sabotage the BJP campaign.

He also alleged that Narela's local AAP MLA Sharad Chauhan is involved in the case of forcing an AAP volunteer's suicide.

The ruling party is totally out of contest in the ward and BJP has a clear edge, Babbar claimed.

"It seems AAP leadership planned and planted Sandeep Kumar's visit and media interaction near a venue of ongoing meeting of 36 Biradaris in support of BJP at a Chaupal in Narela with an intent to create confusion.

"However, Sandeep Kumar did not enter meeting venue nor shared the dais, he came and just spoke to media outside the venue," said a BJP official.

Kumar was sacked from the Delhi government cabinet in August 2016 after a CD involving him and two women in a compromising position emerged and went viral on media channels.