Expelled AAP MLA ends fast on Anna advice

Expelled MLA attacks AAP govt, meets LGNEW DELHI: Barely hours after starting hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, expelled Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Vinod Kumar Binny called off the protest on Monday giving ‘more time’ to Kejriwal government in Delhi to fulfill their promises.

A deadline of 10 days was given by the rebel AAP MLA to the Aam Aadmi Party government on the advice of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.

The rebels MLA had started his hunger strike earlier today at Jantar Mantar.

Binney had earlier met Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and apprised him of the ongoing situation and talked about the alleged misbehavior of Law Minister Somnath Bharti with Ugandan women during the midnight raid that took place in Khirki Extension in South Delhi recently.

“Lt Governor has assured that due action will be taken against those who have violated the law, irrespective of their positions,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Jung, Binny said, “I think the AAP wants the government to fall, as they are scared that they would not be able to fulfill the promises they have made to people, and they are trying to run away from their responsibilities.”

He also alleged that AAP has already decided on he candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Binny further reportedly said that he was the first one to join the party when AAP had no support and is the first one to protest when the party is deviating from its principals.

“They made false promises about free water and electricity to people, and the decisions and rules they have made on water and electricity have made the people confused and have mislead them,” he told reporters.

The Lakshmi Nagar MLA also claimed that the decision to expel him was taken to gag other dissatisfied party MLAs.

Binny, who met Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to discuss issues which he claimed were not addressed by the AAP government and demand strict action against Bharti, said he has been given an assurance that law will take its own course.

“We demanded that action be taken in Somnath-African woman case. The Law Minister assaulted and misbehaved with African women during the midnight raid. The LG has assured me that law is equal for everyone and let law take its course,” he told reporters after meeting the LG.

Binny, who held a dharna against the AAP government at Jantar Mantar, claimed that “The decision to expel me was taken to gag other party MLAs dissatisfied by the party leadership.”

Asked about Binny’s claims that some other MLAs were disgruntled with the party, Kejriwal said, “Who is here to save the government, we are here to work for the people.”

Accusing the Delhi government of mocking constitutional bodies like the women’s commission, Binny said the AAP wants that its government falls as they now want to save themselves from all those “false promises” which they had made.

“But I will not let them run away,” Binny said, adding he has not received any letter from AAP and got to know about his expulsion only from the media.

Lashing out at the AAP government, he said, “The party which was formed to fight corruption and had called Sheila Dikshit and other leaders corrupt has not even initiated a probe against them.”

“Delhi has broken its record in regard to cases of violence against women, and still women commando force promised by AAP has not been formed. They are playing with the lives of sisters and daughters. The AAP government has also not fulfilled the promise to make permanent jobs of contractual employees, Binny said, adding these people have been sitting on a dharna for that last few days but the Chief Minister has not met them.

However, the MLA said he would support Aam Aadmi Party on public-related issues.

“I will support AAP-led government on Janlokpal Bill,” he said.

Asked how he would now support AAP, Binny said, “I was with them on public issues. I will continue to work for the welfare of the people”.

Asked if he was going to join BJP or Congress, he said he was “not going to join either BJP or Congress as I am against their politics”.

Before staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar against the Kejriwal-led government, the MLA paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Binny was expelled from the party last night following a decision by the AAP’s disciplinary committee.

“This disciplinary committee has decided to expel Vinod Kumar Binny and terminate his primary membership from the party, for publicly making false statements against the party and its leadership, thereby bringing disrepute to the party,” the party said in a statement.

Ten days ago Binny had called Kejriwal a “dictator” and accused the party of “betraying” the people of Delhi by backtracking on its election promises.

Binny had announced that he will sit on a dharna at Jantar Mantar if the party fails to fulfill the promises made to people by January 27.–PTI