Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to become the prime ministerial candidate of the INDIA alliance, his Aam Aadmi Party said on Wednesday. The party made its stand clear after its spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar’s remark that Kejriwal could be an ideal prime minister for the nation set the tongues wagging in political circles.
Reacting to Kakkar’s remarks, Delhi minister Atishi said: "This might be the personal opinion of the chief spokesperson. But Arvind Kejriwal is not at all a part of the PM race. AAP is a part of the INDIA alliance because India needs to be saved today."
“The country, its constitution and its democracy need to be saved. I officially say that Arvind Kejriwal is not a candidate for the PM post," she further said.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh, too, dismissed speculation that Kejriwal is in the race for opposition’s PM candidate.
"Arvind Kejriwal's motive to join the INDIA Alliance is to save the country. Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to be a Prime Minister. The issues like PM candidate and seat sharing will be decided by consensus by the alliance,” Singh said.
Interestingly, Kakkar’s remarks had come ahead of the third meeting of the INDIA alliance in Mumbai on August 30 and 31.
"If you ask me, I would want Arvind Kejriwal to be the Prime Ministerial candidate. Even in such back-breaking inflation, the national capital Delhi has the lowest inflation. There is free water, free education, free electricity, free bus rides for women, and free pilgrimage for the elderly, but still a surplus budget is presented. He raises people's issues and rises as a challenger," she had said.
