Lipika Mitra thanks Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for advising Somnath Bharti to surrender

NEW DELHI: A "surprised" Lipika Mitra today thanked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking her husband and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti to "surrender" in a case of attempt to murder and domestic violence filed by her.

Police teams are looking for Malviya Nagar MLA Bharti since yesterday after the Delhi High Court rejected his anticipatory bail in the case.

"It's good that the Chief Minister has finally spoken out albeit after taking so much time. I am grateful to him," Mitra said.

Expressing her surprise over Kejriwal's stand, she wondered why AAP made Bharti speak on a issue like 'women empowerment' during a one-day special session of the Delhi Assembly in August.

"Considering they were defending him and made him speak on such issues I am definitely surprised that the Chief Minister has taken this stand...He should act as a CM first and friend later," she said.

On being told that Bharti was avoiding arrest as he may appeal in the Supreme Court, Mitra said, "Whoever is advising him is definitely not his well-wisher."

"Delhi Police is doing what it can. He should come out and cooperate with police," she said.

Breaking his silence on the row involving his former ministerial colleague, the AAP chief questioned Bharti's act of going into hiding and asked why he was running away from the police and scared of going to jail.

"Somnath should surrender. Why is he running away? Why is he so scared of going to jail? Now he is becoming an embarrassment for the party and his family," Kejriwal tweeted.