AAP gives MCD tickets to those who helped Kejriwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has paid back by giving tickets for the MCD elections to two persons who had helped the Kejriwal-led party by offering their accommodations when it was trying its hand in politics.

Harjeet Singh (57) had given his 41, Hanuman Road, bungalow to the AAP during its initial days from where Arvind Kejriwal first contested during 2013 assembly polls.

The party has fielded Singh from the Rajouri Garden Assembly seat for which by-election is slated for April 9. The seat fell vacant after Jarnail Singh resigned as AAP MLA to contest the recent Punjab Assembly polls.

Naren Jain (62) had offered Kejriwal his house when he was looking for a place to host his party activities after he had resigned in 2014 as Delhi Chief Minister.

Though Kejriwal, who was then residing in government quarters allotted to his wife at Kaushmabi in Ghaziabad, could not move into Jain's home due to some legal issues, the AAP has given him ticket for the MCD polls from Chandni Chowk ward under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The party office was later shifted to East Patel Nagar. Before this Kejriwal, who was then staying at his official residence at Tilak Lane after resigning as the chief minister, was looking for a place for himself and party volunteers.

The AAP had then almost set its mind to shift to 4B Flagstaff Road owned by Jain, who is son of former Congress MP from Chandni Chowk Bhiku Ram Jain, on Alipur Road in Civil Lines but dropped the idea due to objection raised by Jain's elder brother.