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AAP MP Swati Maliwal urges Arvind Kejriwal to appoint a Dalit leader as Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, citing an unfulfilled promise of a Dalit Deputy CM in Punjab.
AAP MP Swati Maliwal has demanded a Dalit LoP in Delhi (PTI photo)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has written a letter to party supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, urging to appoint a Dalit leader for the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Taking to X, MP Swati Maliwal wrote that Kejriwal should appoint a Dalit leader as the LoP in Delhi assembly in order to pay “true” tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar.
She claimed that Kejriwal had made a poll promise in Punjab of appointing a deputy chief minister from a dalit community but that has not happened yet.
दिल्ली में दलित समाज से आने वाले एक विधायक को नेता-प्रतिपक्ष (Leader of Opposition) बनाने हेतु @ArvindKejriwal जी को आज पत्र लिखा है।आज से 3 साल पहले केजरीवाल जी ने पंजाब में वादा किया था कि हम दलित उपमुख्यमंत्री बनाएँगे लेकिन वो वादा आज तक पूरा नहीं हुआ। आशा करती हूँ वे इस बार… pic.twitter.com/U9pSlXqnCo
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) February 19, 2025
“A letter has been written today to @ArvindKejriwal ji to make an MLA from the Dalit community in Delhi the Leader of the Opposition. 3 years ago, Kejriwal had promised in Punjab that he will make a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister but that promise has not been fulfilled till date. I hope this time he will pay true tribute to respected Babasaheb Ambedkar by making a Dalit MLA from Delhi the LOP,” Maliwal tweeted in Hindi while attaching the screenshot of the letter.
In her letter, Maliwal wrote, “Making a Dalit leader an LoP will not just be a political move but it will be key step towards adhering to our core principles.”
This comes on a day when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that stormed the national capital after a 26-year hiatus, is expected to announce the name of the Chief Minister.
The AAP party lost the Delhi elections by winning only 22 seats in 70-member Assembly, paving the way for the BJP to return to power after over 2 decades. As AAP’s 10-year reign ended, several top AAP leaders, including Kejriwal himself, lost the poll battle.
Meanwhile, Atishi retained her Kalkaji seat. Congress, on the other hand, could not open its account in the national capital.
AAP will be in Opposition in the city for the first time.
Delhi’s political circles are rife with speculation of at least four AAP MLAs, including Gopal Rai and Atishi, emerging as possible candidates for the position of LoP.
