AAP's Chandigarh nominee Savita Bhatti pulls out

Television actress Savita Bhatti, Aam Aadmi Party's nominee from Chandigarh, on Sunday withdrew her candidature for the upcoming general elections just one week after she entered the fray. Savita, the widow of celebrated comedian and satirist Jaspal Bhatti, sent an e-mail to the fledgling party's headquarters in Delhi to inform them about her decision. Though she remains tight-lipped about what drove her to back out, party sources said it was the lack of support from local AAP cadres. The 52-year-old was the second woman nominee for the lone parliamentary seat from the Union Territory, the other being the BSP's Jannat Jahan. The BJP and the Congress are yet to announce their candidates from the constituency currently represented by Pawan Kumar Bansal of the Grand Old Party.

Savita's withdrawal coincided with another event that could impede AAP's maiden Lok Sabha journey. Unhappy with the way AAP is selecting candidates for the elections, a group of party workers on Sunday held a protest outside the Tilak Lane residence Arvind Kejriwal was accorded as his official quarters during his stint as the Chief Minister. The workers alleged that "a select few people called the shots in the party". "We wanted to meet Kejriwal, but were not allowed to and this is why we protested. We are not satisfied with the way tickets are being distributed. The party talks about swaraj, but it is not implemented in the party," said Ashwini Upadhyay, who claimed he was a member of AAP's National Council. Refuting the allegations, AAP said the party does everything in consultations with members.