AAP Nominates DCW Chief Swati Maliwal For Rajya Sabha, To Face Elections On Jan 19

New Delhi: The Political Affairs Committee of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday announced the nomination of Delhi Commission for Women chief and senior party member Swati Maliwal for Rajya Sabha elections in Delhi scheduled to be held on January 19. With the six-year term of three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi ending this month, voting to elect the new members will take place on January 19. The three members - Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Narain Dass Gupta - will be retiring on January 27.

However, ND Gupta and jailed senior leader Sanjay Singh will be re-nominated as well while Sushil Kumar Gupta, as per the party said, has expressed his intent to redirect his focus towards the electoral politics of Haryana. ND Gupta is the party treasurer and Sushil Gupta is the AAP President of the Haryana unit. The state is expected to go to polls later this year.

"Chaired by AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, the committee decided to endorse two existing members for re-nomination, whereas Sushil Kumar Gupta expressed his intent to redirect his focus towards the electoral politics of Haryana," the party said.

Swati Maliwal is a women's rights activist and the current Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). Before joining DCW, Maliwal worked as the advisor to the Chief Minister of Delhi on public grievances. Maliwal was a core member of the Indian Against Corruption movement. Maliwal has been associated with various campaigns and movements aimed at combating violence against women, advocating for stricter laws, and promoting gender equality.

ADelhi court on Thursday, meanwhile, allowed party leader Sanjay Singh to sign re-nomination documents from jail. Sanjay Singh, a senior Aam Aadmi Party leader is an accused in a money laundering case related to the Excise policy case and was arrested on October 4, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate.

His bail plea was dismissed by the trial court on December 22, 2023 and stated that, the Court is of prima facie view that the case against him is genuine. Evidence shows his involvement in the alleged offence of money laundering. There are reasonable grounds for believing that he is guilty of the alleged offence of money laundering."