Row over Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna: AAP MLA Alka Lamba takes U-turn, says 'not resigning'

NEW DELHI: Hours after claiming that she will tender her resignation as "demanded" by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over not supporting a resolution in the assembly on revoking late PM Rajiv Gandhi's 'Bharat Ratna', AAP MLA Alka Lamba on Saturday took a U-turn and denied reports that she was resigning.

''I am not resigning,'' news agency ANI quoted AAP MLA Alka Lamba as saying.

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Alka Lamba: I am not resigning. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/dXmvnSkEpp — ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2018

Lamba had triggered a major crisis for Delhi's ruling party by saying that she was allegedly pressurised by the AAP central leadership to support a resolution which was adopted by Delhi Assembly on Friday on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in which it was demanded that the 'Bharat Ratna' awarded to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi be withdrawn.

Lamba claimed that she was "put under pressure" to support the resolution, which she resisted and boycotted.

Lamba said she was ready to face "any consequences" and claimed she spoke to AAP supremo and CM Kejriwal who, she said, asked her to resign as MLA. 

"I am ready to do so", she had earlier said.

The Chandni Chowk MLA said she was not happy with the demand to take back Bharat Ratna from Gandhi and staged a walkout in protest.

Interestingly, the AAP later distanced itself from the resolution.

"After I staged a walkout, I got a message from the chief minister to tender my resignation," she told PTI.

When asked whether she will quit, Lamba added, "I have won on a party ticket. I will tender my resignation as demanded by the party," the former Youth Congress leader said.

In a tweet, she said, "I was asked to support the resolution demanding taking back the Bharat Ratna awarded to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Since I didn't agree with this, I staged a walk out. I am ready to accept whatever punishment is given to me." 

However, later clearing the air on the claims made by Lamba, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that the reports concerning party's  Chandni Chowk MLA were nothing but rumours.

''No resignation has been sought and from no one, all these are just rumours,'' Sisodia said.

He further clarified AAP does not support that the 'Bharat Ratna' should be taken back from former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. 

“We do not agree that Bharat Ratna should be taken back from Rajiv Gandhi,” said Sisodia while briefing the media in the national capital.