AAP Removes Rebel Kumar Vishwas As Rajasthan In-Charge

AAP Removes Rebel Kumar Vishwas As Rajasthan In-Charge

NEW DELHI:  Kumar Vishwas has been shunted out of a key post by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which he founded along with Arvind Kejriwal and three others. He will no longer be convenor of the party in Rajasthan, a post that he was given a year ago as part of a peace deal after his virtual rebellion against the leadership. Deepak Bajpai will replace him, AAP said today, announcing that it would contest the Rajasthan election.

 "Deepak Bajpai has been given the charge so that he can stay in Rajasthan and strengthen the organization and prepare strategy for the polls later this year," said Ashutosh, the national spokesperson of AAP.

The party said Kumar Vishwaas was not able to "devote his time" to the state.

"Kumar Vishwas was not able to devote time for election preparations due to his preoccupations," said Ashutosh.

The 47-year-old poet-turned-politician has been a rebel for over a year but he has stopped short of quitting. Neither has AAP taken any action against him, but it delivered an unmistakable message when Kumar Vishwas was not given a Rajya Sabha place.

Kumar Vishwas's exit from the role in Rajasthan was in the works as he had reportedly stopped campaigning in the state.