Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi minister Atishi on Wednesday denied party national convener Arvind Kejriwal being in the race for prime minister. The development comes hours after Priyanka Kakkar said that as a party spokesperson she would put forward the name of Kejriwal as the leader of INDIA bloc. “I officially say that Arvind Kejriwal is not a candidate for the PM post,” Atishi said during a press conference. The party is set to attend the INDIA bloc meeting in Mumbai that is going to take place on September 31 and August 1.
"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 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," Atishi said.
Earlier in the day, when asked about who should be the leader of INDIA Opposition alliance, Kakkar said, "If you ask me as a party spokesperson, I will put forward the name of Arvind Kejriwal. He has consistently raised issues of the people, has given a model due to which inflation is the lowest in Delhi."
Following her statement, AAP minister Gopal Rai also came forward and dismissed any kind of speculation.
“The Aam Aadmi Party also wants our National Convenor to become the Prime Minister. But as far as who will be the prime ministerial candidate of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, they all will decide together, you will be informed," he said.
"AAP has not joined the INDIA alliance for the PM post," said AAP MP Raghav Chadha. "Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to become the Prime Minister of India. We have joined the INDIA alliance to prepare a blueprint for a better India and to free India from the evils and shackles of unemployment, price rise, inflation, etc. that the current PM Modi-led government has thrust upon the people of India," he added.
Echoing the same, party leader Sanjay Singh said, "Arvind Kejriwal’s aim and objective to join the INDIA alliance was to save this country. His aim is not to become the PM."
After its meeting in Patna and Bengaluru in June and July respectively, the Opposition’s INDIA bloc will have its third meeting in Mumbai on August 31 where it is expected that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will be announced as the alliance’s convener.