New Delhi: In her latest issue with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), rebel leader Alka Lamba has alleged that party head and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has anger issues when under pressure and uses unparliamentary language.
“I feel Arvindji is not exactly a veteran politician, capable of dealing with things internally,” Lamba told ThePrint in an interview Tuesday.
The Chandni Chowk legislator has been on the rebel path since mid-December when she walked out of the Delhi assembly after a resolution to strip late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi of his Bharat Ratna over his alleged involvement in the anti-Sikh riots was introduced.
Lamba is willing to go back to Congress — she was with the grand old party till 2013 — but her decision depends on whether or not the two parties decide to ally for the Lok Sabha elections in the national capital.
AAP has been pushing for an alliance in Delhi to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the Congress has so far not warmed up to the offer, with its Delhi unit chief and former CM Sheila Dikshit strictly against the alliance.
‘No control over language’
While Kejriwal has often been accused of using harsh words against his political opponents — he referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “coward” and a “psychopath” in 2015 — such an allegation from within his own party has surfaced for the first time.
Modi is a coward and a psycopath
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 15, 2015
According to Lamba, Kejriwal is unable to cope with pressure, whether from the central government or internal party struggle, and ends up venting with angry words and unparliamentary language.
“The pressure reflects in his language. On many occasions, at party meetings at the chief minister’s office, that were attended by party workers and legislators alike, he would lose his cool,” Lamba said.
Kejriwal resorted to calling the legislators “tuccha” (cheap) and “gadha” (donkey), said Lamba.
“Once he called someone a ‘gaddha’, another time he said, ‘ye tucche vidhayak hain, inki aukaat kya hai‘ (These cheap MLAs are nobodies),” said Lamba.
“This one time, he told a female legislator kya bakk rahi ho (What are you barking about?). She started crying,” added Lamba.
Lamba said every leader must be able to control his language.
“He has to set an example, after all. He (Kejriwal) is not just a common man,” she said.
However, two other AAP MLAs loyal to Kejriwal told ThePrint that the chief minister is “a quiet man who always conducts himself with grace”.
Also read: Will stop working for AAP if I don’t get due respect, says MLA Alka Lamba
On joining Congress
The AAP’s confused call for an alliance with the Congress in Delhi is only showing their weakness, according to Lamba.
The rebel leader said that even though the AAP wants a “gathbandhan” with the Congress, its leader Saurabh Bharadwaj is seeking the “arrest” of Dikshit, now that the Anti-Corruption Bureau is with the central government (after the recent Supreme Court ruling).
This sort of an unclear approach is only causing confusion among the AAP cadres, voters and the rest of Delhi, said Lamba.
Referring to a recent rally held by Kejriwal in Lamba’s constituency, Chandni Chowk, the rebel leader said the party’s decision to not invite her shows that they don’t need her.
Lamba said she feels that since the December incident, the party has cut off all ties with her. “I wish them (AAP) all the best,” she said.
“I am ready to return to the Congress. It seems AAP doesn’t need me.”
Lamba added that the reluctance of Congress’ Delhi unit for an alliance with AAP only shows they are not thinking of the bigger picture.
Congress’s performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh shows that they can beat the BJP, a primary goal for Lamba.
“I stand with the powers that want to defeat the BJP. I am even ready to give up my position as a legislator for that,” she said.
Also read: Sharad Pawar steps in, Congress leaders step up as alliance with AAP back on the table
It is surprising that there are still some people in Delhi that can support Kejriwal! A fellow who shamelessly made baseless charges wasting public & judiciary’s time, only to retract later with yet shameless apologies to a plethora of people & a fellow who has the temerity to call the PM of the country as ‘coward’ & ‘psychopath’ shouldn’t be in politics at all. Whatever municipal work they might have done in health & education in a corner in Delhi, their crimes of corruption & impropriety far outweighs all those things. We aren’t sad that we have a bigot in Kejriwal as much as there are people to still support him!!
Mr AK seemed a good, honest with integrity person in the days of IAC. But now he’s totally a deplorable person as a politician. The NDA govt. under the leadership of PM Modi and AS is doing something at least to stop corruption unlike UPA. At least he(MrAK) ought to maintain equidistant from the upa and bjp or nda, if he’s is really willing to stop corruption.
Only now she wants to join Congress back again. She can talk anything…
Alka lamba rightly said that kejriwal has no respect for his colleagues and MLAs. He sold rajyasabha tickets to rich business men ignoring his loyal workers.He is frequently abusing PM for no reasons.The man who claim to fight corruption is on his kneel for alliance with Congress. He is unmasked today.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal is a bad advertisement for IIT. He was not able make it to the IFS, IAS or IPS and could only make to the much lower ranked IRS. He has been unable to hold on to any job for long, feels insecure in the company of talented people and removes them at the first opportunity, has bad dressing sense and now, it seems, does know how to handle pressure. No one would want such an employee, leave alone a manager. Surprisingly some Delhites think that he is a leader.
Dear Alkaji,
I do not know whether Mr. Arvind Kejriwal has said unparliamentary language or not but he and his part the AAP are the honest and hard working politicians in our country. Your trying to get back into Congress shows that you want to be with that party which now has to potential to become the largest party in India to get a majority in the coming Elections and not continuing with an honest and non corrupt party of India. regarding not inviting for shows please discuss it with Mr. Arvind Kejriwal why is it so. The AAP is the only party which from past 70 years of Independence has a lot of work in the fields of Health and Education in Delhi. If you still want to leave an honest party then it is your loss and not the party’s. Please weight the honesty and hard working and the works done by AAP and Mr. Arvind Kejriwal’s unparliamentary language and then decide to leave AAP.
She is NOT the only one who is leaving; there are many others who have ditched your holier-than-thou leader. Something must be wrong.
Sir, AAP must win 7/7 LS seats in Delhi
Then why he begs Congress to have alliance with AAP. Kejriwal came to power riding on the corruption by Congress. The shameless man now wants Congress support.
Honest and hard working politicians in the AAP? You must be joking or are you out of your depth? Not long ago your ‘honest’ party sold RS tickets to the highest bidders ignoring the claims of many senior AAPians.
With due respect, I hate to tell you this that your thoughts on Kejariwal are inaccurate. Kejriwal is an mean selfish opportunist entered in Indian politics to fulfill the desire of exterior interest to create disturbance in India and throw hindrances. Every time he does something or spit foul from his filthy mouth, the entire intention is to create turmoil. He was planted when Anna initiated fight against corruption. Indians are fed up with corruption so this selfish opportunist jump into action. Based on his all blubber at the beginning, he was got into politics to fight corruption. Instead of fighting election against proven corrupted party congress, he decided to fight against Modiji as instructed by his mentors. In addition, to stay alive in news media, he had done all drams, run his foul and filthy mouth accusing each and every one including the barking dog on the street. Now, it is a game of survival. He has no principles,. His only motive is to get rich, fool Indians and fulfill his outside interest desire. Every one knows he is worst than a deadly snake. So please do research on Kejriwal and stunn by the finding.
Alka Lamba is an opportunist.
Sir, Seems she has scored a self goal, of which she herself is not aware of