Delhi: A day after he made bribery charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday suspended Kapil Mishra from party's primary membership.
The decision was taken by its high-powered political affairs committee (PAC) chaired by Kejriwal at his official residence, capping a dramatic turn of events pertaining to the AAP chief's financial probity.
Mishra had yesterday alleged that Kejriwal had taken Rs two crore in cash from Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain.
Mishra was removed from the post of water minister on May 6.
A decision to appoint Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as the chief of the party's Punjab unit was also taken at the meeting, as per PTI.
With this, Mishra became the fifth AAP MLA - after Sandeep Kumar, Asim Ahmed Khan, Devendra Sehrawat and Amanatullah Khan - to be suspended from the party since it stormed to power in the national capital two years ago.
Reacting to the decision, Mishra mocked Kejriwal for not "going the whole hog and expelling" him.
"They could not show enough courage," he said.
Earlier today Mishra had dared the party to sack him even as he had fired a fresh salvo at Kejriwal, alleging that a Rs 50 crore deal was made for AAP chief's brother-in-law.
"Jain told me that he has arranged a 7-acre land deal in Chattarpur for Kejriwal's brother-in-law's Bansal family. Being a PWD minister, he also fudged bills up to Rs 10 crore in the department to benefit Kejriwal's relative," he had said.
Mishra had also alleged that during the Punjab polls, there was massive corruption done by AAP in ticket distribution, including supplying of liquor by party members.
He had further claimed that AAP leader Sanjay Singh was involved in lobbying for overseas funding of the party.
Slamming Delhi CM, Mishra had said that Kejriwal does not want to resign.
"Kejriwal's weakness is his chair. He does not want to leave his chair. I want to ask Kejriwal if he will resign the day when Jain is sent to jail in a corruption case," he had said.
Rejecting the AAP's allegation that he has been in touch with BJP leaders, Mishra also dared the party to prove the same, adding that whoever raises voice against AAP leaders, he or she is called 'a BJP agent'.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Mishra had said that he had shared with the ACB all the evidence related to the tanker scam that dates back to Congress leader Sheila Dikshit's tenure as CM.
The Rs 400 crore tanker scam relates to alleged irregularities in the hiring of private tankers to supply water.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Jain categorically rejected Mishra's charge, saying "no deal took place" between him and Kejriwal and that he was "lying" after "losing his mental balance".
"From yesterday, I am seeing, how much will Kapil ji lie? There is limit to it. He is levelling all kinds of allegations. On Friday (May 5) I wasn't even present with the CM, so how can there be a talk of the deal. There is limit to foolishness," Delhi Health Minister said.
(With PTI inputs)
