AAP Delhi Leader Atishi Caught in Name Row Again, Banner Shows Her Surname as 'Singh' Instead of 'Marlena'

New Delhi, October 22: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi Marlena is caught in yet another name controversy, this time for 'Singh' surname having been added to her name. Atishi on Sunday attended an event of the Kshatriya community, where banners showed her name as Atishi Singh. When asked, the organisers of the event said that they researched and found that Atishi had her roots to Rajputs and, hence, added Singh too her name, even though "she herself hadn't asked them to do so." Talks Should Not Be on Name but on Work: Atishi

There have been reports that Atishi may be the AAP candidate from East Delhi for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Earlier this year, Atishi had sparked a controversy after she removed her surname 'Marlena' from her Twitter handle and changed it to AtishiAAP. Reports claimed that Atishi Marlena was asked to drop her "Christian-sounding" surname. However, the AAP had denied such reports saying Atishi had taken the decision to drop her surname on her own. AAP Denies Asking Atishi Marlena to Drop Her 'Christian-sounding' Surname.

Ashutosh, who had quit AAP earlier this year, too had accused the party of playing caste politics by using his surname during elections. Ashutosh said that while campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party leadership mentioned his surname while introducing him to party workers in spite of his protest. The former AAP leader took to Twitter to slam the party leadership. In his tweet, he said he was told to use his caste to get votes.

Ashutosh tweeted, “In 23 years of my journalism, no one asked my caste, surname. Was known by my name. But as I was introduced to party workers as LOKSABHA candidate in 2014 my surname was promptly mentioned despite my protest.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2018 10:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).