Delhi : Congress leader Ajay Maken has urged his party not to ‘support’ and ‘show any sympathy’ to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi liquor policy case, as doing so would ‘confuse’ the Congress cadre and ‘benefit’ the BJP.

Maken’s comment comes a day after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge dialled Kejriwal and discussed the need for opposition unity to face the BJP in the national election next year. The Congress chief is said to have expressed solidarity with Kejriwal on getting the CBI summons in the liquor policy case, in which the Delhi Chief Minister’s former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested last month.

Maken’s long statement on why the Congress should stay away from Kejriwal’s problems is likely to make matters complicated amid the call for opposition unity. “I believe that individuals like Kejriwal and his associates who face serious corruption charges should not be shown any sympathy or support.

The allegations of Liquorgate and Gheegate must be thoroughly investigated and those found guilty should be punished,” Maken said in a statement, referring to the liquor policy case and an alleged code word – “15 gm ghee” for Rs.15 crore in cash – used by jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekar in his communication with politicians and middlemen.