New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday nominated Swati Maliwal, former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson, as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections on January 19. Maliwal resigned from her DCW post shortly after being nominated for the Rajya Sabha membership.
#WATCH | Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal resigns from her post after being nominated for Rajya Sabha by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).#AAP #SwatiMaliwal #RajyaSabha pic.twitter.com/aENgOSFlYk
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 5, 2024
Besides Maliwal, the AAP has put forward the re-nomination of Sanjay Singh, currently detained in connection with an alleged liquor scam, and ND Gupta for a second term in the Upper House of Parliament.
Swati Maliwal’s candidacy was decided during a meeting of the party’s political affairs committee, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which aimed to finalize the AAP’s nominations for the Delhi Rajya Sabha elections.
Having begun her activism career at a young age, Maliwal is a prominent advocate for women’s rights and social issues, actively participating in campaigns against violence towards women, advocating for stricter laws, and promoting gender equality. She assumed the role of DCW chairperson in 2015, focusing on initiatives addressing acid attacks, sexual harassment, and women’s safety in Delhi.
Meanwhile, Sushil Kumar Gupta, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP whose term concludes this month, expressed his intention to shift focus towards electoral politics in Haryana.
“Sushil Kumar Gupta has conveyed his aspiration to actively engage in the vibrant electoral landscape of Haryana, and we respect his decision to pursue this path,” a senior AAP leader said.
Earlier, a Delhi court granted permission for Sanjay Singh to sign his Rajya Sabha re-nomination papers while in jail. Singh has been in custody since October 4 last year, relating to a money laundering case associated with the alleged Delhi liquor scam.
Sanjay Singh’s present Rajya Sabha tenure is set to conclude on January 27.
A petition was submitted by Sanjay Singh, requesting the court’s approval to enable the AAP leader to sign the Rajya Sabha nomination form and its supporting documents, intending to submit these papers to the Upper House’s returning officer.