‘Friendlier’ Kejriwal gets full support from MLAs in Kapil Mishra row

AAP convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal organised a dinner for party MLAs and their families in a bid to reach out to them after MCD poll debacle. Such meetings are likely to become more frequent.

Aam Aadmi Party legislators have extended ‘full support’ to party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal, amidst the internal crisis following the corruption allegations levelled by sacked water minister Kapil Mishra against the Delhi chief minister and the party.

After MCD poll debacle, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is trying to become more accessible to his MLAs. (Raj K Raj /HT Photo)

As part of an exercise to make himself more accessible, Kejriwal hosted a dinner for all party legislators and their family members at his residence on Sunday.

Sources said the event was an ‘informal family gathering’ but the latest crisis in the party due to Kapil Mishra’s rebellion was the focus of discussion.

“All MLAs, except those who were out of town, were present at the gathering and it was unanimously expressed that the party was united and there was no threat to the future of the government, or the party. The fact that not even one MLA has supported Mishra till now shows that the party is fully behind Kejriwal,” an AAP legislator who attended the dinner said.

Since electoral debacle in municipal election, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been making all efforts to be more accessible to the party legislators and take their feedback on governance, lack of which was identified as one of the mistakes in party’s electoral strategy that led to the loss.

Chandni Chowk legislator Alka Lamba retweeted a video of the gathering on her Twitter handle. “We AAP MLAs are firmly behind Arvind Kejriwal after allegations by Kapil Mishra. So much lust for power is not good,” Lamba tweeted.

Lamba told HT that the gathering was not unusual as the CM has been hosting such events for family of legislators every six months, but he is likely to hold more such interactions with the party MLAs in future.

“His accessibility has increased already. Earlier, he was also busy in assembly elections in other states. But after the MCD election, he started meeting MLAs both in batches and individually. Such meetings with elected representatives is likely to be more routine now,” she said.