Even before the Aam Aadmi Party could sink in the feeling of resounding defeat it faced in 2017 Punjab polls, its State leaders are raising the banner of revolt seeking more powers to the local leaders and limiting the role of Delhi leadership.
A section of party’s elected MlAs on Sunday met and discussed the name of their leader in the Vidhan Sabha, who will be the leader of opposition. They maintained that the name of the leader of opposition would be decided by the elected MlAs, and not the “Delhi walas” hinting at the party’s State affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh and organisation head Durgesh Pathak.
“There is no way we are going to allow Sanjay Singh or Durgesh Pathak to call the shots. These people and their diktats are the very reason we lost a serious shot at power. The leaders in Delhi must understand that the show must run from Punjab,” said a senior AAP MlA.
It has been learnt that a meeting of about seven-eight MlAs was held at the house of a senior AAP leader who unsuccessfully contested elections, wherein discussion on who should be the leader of the Opposition was held.
The issue was also raised earlier, before the elections, by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was elected from Bholath assembly segment, when the party expelled its then State convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur,
He had called upon the AAP’s central leadership to allow Punjab’s unit to have a greater say in the party’s State affairs. Khaira had said that the “time is ripe that Delhi leadership should give more powers to Punjabis and have faith in Punjabis”.
“There is no doubt that Delhi leaders, Durgesh Pathak and Sanjay Singh, have done a lot to build the party in Punjab but now they should also believe in Punjabis a little bit more and give them more responsibilities, so that they (Punjabis) should feel that it (AAP) is their own party”, Khaira had stated.
He had added that it was the “suggestions from thousands of AAP volunteers” who want that Punjabis should be in the forefront of AAP to remove the tag of its being led by outsiders only.
Khaira had then maintained that he had raised the issue at the party platform too.
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the party high command has refused to pay heed to local leaders’ demand who protested against Sanjay Singh and Pathak, and decided to hold a rally at Hola Mohalla where Sanjay Singh will be present.
25 AAP lEADERS lOST SECURITY DEPOSITS
Expecting to sweep Punjab claiming win at 100 seats, AAP could manage victory on just 20 seats. The party came second in 26 constituencies while over two dozen AAP candidates lost their security deposits. Its ally, lok Insaaf Party, won another two seats.
A total of 62 AAP candidates finished third after the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine, while it finished at the fourth spot in Bhoa, Fazilka and Mukerian.
At least 25 AAP candidates failed to secure even a sixth of the valid votes cast in their constituencies and forfeited their security deposit.
In vote-share, AAP came at the third place with around 23 per cent after the Congress, which swept to power with 77 seats and 38.5 per cent votes and the Shiromani Akali Dal, which won 15 seats (over 25 per cent votes).
The BJP, the Akali ally, got just three seats with five per cent vote share.