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AAP leader Atishi Marlena drops her last name after alleged rumours

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Aug 29, 2018, 07:21 AM IST
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File photo: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Photograph:(DNA)

Senior AAP leader Atishi Marlena, party's east Delhi Lok Sabha probable, has dropped her last name, which was apparently after Communist thinkers Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, reported news agency PTI.

The party has rejected reports that it forced the AAP leader to change her last name because it was "Christian-sounding".

Meanwhile, reports said that the AAP leader dropped her last name after alleged rumours that BJP is spreading misinformation that Marlena is a Christian. 

A source in the party said that Marlena is not her surname and her surname was Singh, adding the second name (Marlena) was given by her parents, PTI report added.

"She has decided to use just Atishi for her Lok Sabha election campaign," an AAP leader said.

As part of the change, Atishi's Twitter is now "@AtishiAAP" from the earlier @Atishimarlena.

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The AAP leader's profile in the party's official website has also been changed. All publicity materials are also carrying her first name only, report added.

The AAP is yet to officially declare its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls which are scheduled to be held next year.

However, they have named Atishi (East Delhi), Raghav Chadha (South Delhi), Pankaj Gupta (Chandni Chowk), Dilip Pandey (Northeast Delhi) and Ghuggan Singh (Northwest Delhi) as Lok Sabha constituency in-charge.

Party sources said these five would be declared as AAP's Lok Sabha candidates.