Leaders’ tweets on ticket distribution create a buzz

Tweets by senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders Kumar Vishwas and Shazia Ilmi about ticket distribution created a buzz on Wednesday about dissension within the party, which they later denied.

Party's candidate for Amethi, Mr. Vishwas, had obliquely hinted about new entrants being given ticket by the party. Apparently he was upset about ticket given to newcomers in Uttar Pradesh. “Everyone, whether in the BJP or the AAP wants a safe seat,” he tweeted.

After his tweets he was contacted by party convener Arvind Kejriwal, who is touring Maharashtra, and assured him that his concerns would be taken on board. By evening Mr. Vishwas was singing a different tune.

National Executive Committee member Shazia Ilmi also let it be known through her tweets that she had “never agreed” to contesting against Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli. She said she had been refusing for the last two months to contest from outside Delhi for “personal reasons.”

Ms. Ilmi, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from R. K. Puram,, had hoped for a ticket from the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency. But it was given to a former journalist Ashish Khetan.

Ms. Ilmi said she had “nothing against” against Mr. Khetan and would even campaign for him.